Her Moment of Weakness
by Hannanball13
Summary: One moment of weakness- that's all it takes, to tarnish a marriage already in great need of repair. Three years later,- after "Alls Well That Ends", Although still haunted by memories of James- Mary is most content with Norah and has kept her promise to Marshall, until things go awry between him and Abigail and one night changes nearly everything.
1. Chapter 1

**So, I've written quite a bit of this already, but it's all about the readers if I post more. This one, I am proud of. It has a clear storyline. Not all wibbly wobbly like my other fics. Set after "Alls Well That Ends" and I can't honestly say it's a "fix-it" fic, a few of you may find it quite surprising. But, not necessarily. Expect my usual to those who have read my work before. Hopefully it'll be a little twisty and turny…. Please Enjoy.**

She awoke in a cold sweat, her cheeks covered in tears. They streamed down the entirety of her face, soaking into her beat red skin. Her heart raced within the confines of her tight chest. She shuddered at the images from her nightmare, shaking her head back and forth as she groped around for her lamp. The light flooded the room, revealing the sheets, tangled and soaked with perspiration, her pillow case bloody.

"_Let me take care of that partner." He said soothingly, lifting her chin up gently, "Look at the ceiling, and squeeze your nose…" he instructed, brushing her blonde hair from her eyes._

"_When will it stop daddy?" she asked, squeezing her eyes shut tightly, hoping to trap the tears underneath her eyelids. She blinked a few times, attempting to catch a glance of the man crouching down beside her, keeping the dishrag out of her view of the popcorn ceiling with his large hands. He looked sympathetic, inching a little closer; he held her in and awkward hug stroking a few strands of her hair between his fingers, cleaning the dried blood from it._

"_It will stop; everything will be fine partner, just take a deep breath….. that's it." He praised, while wiping the crimson mess from her nostrils, "There, all better now." He smiled, pulling the towel away and planting a kiss on her forehead.  
_

Mary looked at herself in the mirror, her first, and last bloody nose was at six years old, after tripping over the leg of Brandi's rickety wooden crib, running to see her father. His work van had just pulled up and whenever he arrived home at a reasonable hour she made it a point to venture down the long, paved sidewalk to greet him. She shook the memory away, only for another to come sliding through her brain.

"_I'm fine Marshall, really." She smiled, tugging at his bow tie, trying to straighten it out. She guessed it was the effort that made him smile._

"_I just don't want you to feel obligated-_

"_Marshall! Who else would have gone with you? Don't be an douche!" she argued, playing with his collar, creasing his tux between her fingertips._

"_I could have had my brothers…_

"_No! Honestly, Doofus quit it! I'm helping you with your tux fitting, not barreling over Niagra Falls… Jesus Christ. It fits… There. Mission Accomplished. Go home and tell Law Enforcement Barbie you've got something to wear to the big shebang!" she quipped, grabbing her coat._

"_How could I ever repay you?"_

"_By getting your ass back in your jeans so we can get back to freakin work!" _

She wiped the last of the blood from her face, sighing.

"Mommy?" the voice was small and quavering, "Are you awight?" Mary cringed, she had warned Jinx to quit the baby talk when Norah turned one, and she had let it slide in her daughter's infancy, but now as Norah came out with different impediments as her vocabulary thickened, it was clear she should have enforced 'the no baby talk' rule better than she had.

"Oh Bug- she sniffed- I'm fine. Mom just had a bad dream…." She smiled, smoothing down the blonde locks, untangling them as she pulled through the matted mess on her daughter's head.

"_You_ have bad dreams?" she asked sweetly, her tiny three year old hands wiping at her tired eyes.

"Yes Norah, everyone has scary dreams sometimes-even me." She lifted the curious toddler in her arms.

"Even Daddy? And Marshall?" the little girl continued, pushing her mother's hair to the side sweetly, as if to examine Mary's nose. Marshall always told her, "Leave it to you to raise a little girl uninterested in dolls, but medical series' on TV." She blamed Jinx for Norah's obsession with Medical Mystery's and Trauma: Life in the E.R. It was a wonder she wasn't the one having nightmares.

Meanwhile, her daughter, curious for an answer from a woman she sought wisdom from on a regular basis, waited patiently for her mother to answer, seemingly understanding that it was late and it was very easy for anyone's mind to wander.

"Yes my girl, even Daddy, even Marshall and even Stan…" She wasn't sure why she had even mentioned Stan. Since he had been transferred to D.C he didn't get much time to mingle around Albuquerque. The last time Stan the Man had made it back to New Mexico, Norah had just celebrated her second birthday. Mary wouldn't have been disappointed if she didn't remember, but her eyes lit up,

"_Stan_? And _Marshall_! Really?" For some reason, the blondie in her arms found this most amusing, as if every man other than her father was not an actual human being.

"Yes Bug." She reassured again, nodding to reinforce her short statement.

"Mommy, I'm not sleepy no more." She yawned, causing Mary to grin. She pulled this nearly every time she woke up in the middle of the night, but always fell fast asleep in Mary's arms- sometimes before they even reached her bedroom.

"_Mary, what's wrong?" The sentence was not unfamiliar sounding coming from his mouth. The six year old moved forward on her shaky legs, her knees buckling when she made it to her father's lap. _

"_I can't sleep." _

"_What's on your mind?" he asked, clearing his throat._

_"Everything." She replied, curling up into her father's chest, taking in the scent of his cologne, pressing her cheek against his faded blue jumpsuit. _

_ "Now a little girl couldn't possibly have __**everything**__ on her mind. What do you say I tuck you in after I check up on your mother, okay?"_

_ She shook her head up and down, condoning him to get up from the old recliner. Moments later he returned, to take her up in his arms and carry her off to dreamland._

"Shhh Bug, if you stop making words you'll want to sleep again."

"Mommy, will you read me- the sentence was interrupted by another yawn, loud and more violent, which caused her to forget what she was about to say and rest her chin on Mary's shoulder. By the time she had sauntered her way down the hall, enjoying the warmth of her daughter in her arms, Norah was fast asleep, chest rising and falling peacefully and rhythmically.

Mary laid her daughter in her bed, covering her up with both her lime green sheet and dark blue comforter.

"Love you." She whispered, running her fingers through the child's hair affectionately, feeling a little silly for speaking to her unconscious tot. Mary smiled as she clicked on her kid's orange night light and slowly began the trek back to her own bedroom.

Norah hated pink, refused to wear it, refused any ballet lessons from Jinx, refused any bows and most of all loathed having her hair brushed or braided. Her little girl was nothing like her two year old cousin. Brandi's daughter took to the girlie stuff quickly, enjoying ribbons and dresses, Barbies and fake kitchen sets, while Norah graciously accepted building blocks and toy trucks. Mary shook her head, snickering at how much of polar opposites Norah and Riley were and thankfully, even without her undivided attention managed to make it out of her daughter's cluttered bedroom without stepping on any Legos.

_ "Riley? Really Squish Do you want your daughter to get kicked around the playground during recess?" She asked, holding the birth certificate in her hand, staring down at the new baby girl's name with skepticism. _

_ "What? I've always liked that name…" she replied defensively, snatching the piece of paper from Mary._

_ "Yeah, but you've spelled it the wrong way! She's a girl Brandi, or did you not get that when the doctor held her up and announced 'It's a __**girl!'**_ _Look at this blanket, PINK. ?" She pronounced, holding the swaddled infant up carefully for her sister to see and then replacing her in her crib gently._

_ Mary took the certificate back turning away, not feeling the least bit like she was instigating anything,_

_ "Oh here's a funny one, 'biological father'." Mary laughed, turning back around on one heel to face her little sister again to reveal her index finger pointing out the blink line in need of an identity._

_ "Do you really have to put that down?" Brandi rasped, surprise overcoming her face._

_ "Uh, duh… Someone else has to be liable for the little rugrat." She answered plopping down on the chair beside the bed, awaiting Jinx to return with some sort of coffee. _

_ "Can I put __**your**__ name down?"_

_ "NO. First of all Squish- if you haven't noticed I'm not a dude, plus that sounds sketchy and somewhat like a freaky form of incest and second of all just tell me who the bastard was who knocked you up and I'll find his number for you."_

_ "Mary, he's not a bastard."_

_ "__**I**__ haven't seen him around, don't stick up for him Squish, clearly if you haven't wanted to tell mom or me, then you're ashamed or embarrassed or__** something**__!." Mary snorted, feeling a little frustrated as her sister continued to look like a deer caught in headlights, "You had to realize this was gonna happen eventually, just give me his name." the older sibling coaxed, stroking her sleeping nieces few strands of dark hair gently as her sister still fought with herself to divulge the name of the mystery daddy._

_ "Mary it's- she stopped, "Do you__** really**__ need to know?" A few tears escaped the corner of her eye, and her heart rate increased in a barely noticeable way and even though Brandi was obviously distressed, Mary still urged for the truth,_

_ "It would be nice Brandi!"_

_ She sighed one more time, cringing as she adjusted herself in her bed. After what seemed like two forevers, she said, _

_ "It's Peter."_

**Okie dokie, well, I hope you are impressed, tuned in, I hope you're really into it! I have more chapters! So, I hope I have readers! Mary will change, quite a bit- but won't get too Out of Character. Please review! I love reviews **


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2 I don't know what you'll think, I went out on a limb with it all really, this won't be your conventional In Plain Sight fanfiction my friends! Thanks to those who have read and the people who have reviewed! I'll try to keep my updates regular!**

**I forgot to mention! Italicized sections are MEMORIES!**

Mary glanced at the few pictures she had of the family as she made her way through the hall. Norah and Riley. Norah, Riley, Brandi and Mary. Norah and Jinx. Norah, Riley and Marshall.

Marshall was around. Not often, but there enough that Norah had some sort of love for him. He was like an Uncle. It was a lot compared to what they had promised each other on the balcony. And even more than Mary could have wished when Abigail got pregnant.

_"Okay doofus, Abs- tell me what you called me down here for, I left Norah with Brandi and you know how iffy that makes me lately, she's already got a lot on her plate with that fuss ball Riley of hers…" she prompted once she made it over to the couple awaiting her in a booth. _

_ "Why didn't you bring her?" Abigail smiled, flashing Mary a disappointed look._

_ "For some reason I don't think a pub is the most appropriate place for a one year old." She replied sarcastically, eying Marshall suspiciously as he fidgeted in his place, a grin spread across his mouth from ear to ear, "Now spill it you two, I only have time for one drink." Mary waved for the bartender to order a glass of wine as she waited for Marshall to calm himself and clear his throat._

_ "Well Mare, we called you to come have drinks with us because we have something to celebrate…" he nearly giggled, absolutely turning Mary's stomach. She looked down at Marshall's glass of whisky, on the rocks, his usual. Then she took a look at Abigail's beverage, hoping for an idea of what sort of wine she should order for the unknown occasion, but instead of the normal, fruity, white wine in front of Detective Chaffee- Mann, there sat a glass of ice water. _

_ Her face must have expressed the true, heart stopping surprise bubbling over inside of her, because Abigail could only match Marshall's sheepish grin. _

_ "Abby's pregnant Mare!" he cried, his pearly whites making their appearance in a less goofy more joyous smile._

_ It was several moments before Mary had composed her thoughts, just enough time for Marshall to twist her reaction, or lack of reaction, negatively,_

_ "Aren't you happy for us?" He questioned, his eyes glittering with potential hurt, a look of a small child's disappointment etched upon his formerly jubilant face._

_ She found her words as quickly as possible,_

_ "Con- she choked on the beginning syllable of the word at first, but then managed the full phrase, "Congratulations! I'm so… happy for you two." _

And then a substantial amount of time after Abigail's miscarriage.

_"What happened?" Mary heaved in huge amounts of air, having run from the parking lot to the third floor while simultaneously wondering what the frantic phone call from her new chief had meant._

_ A distraught Marshall had his thumb and his index fingers jammed into his two eyes, attempting to halt the tears threatening to expel if he were to move them. He chewed his bottom lip to stop it from quivering. _

_ "Ab-b-b-y…" he sobbed._

_ "What Marshall? What happened to Abigail?" She was nearly frantic, never having seen him that way before. She took him by the shoulders and then when that seemed to be everything but helpful, took his hands away from his face, "Tell me." _

_ "She lost the baby Mary." He quaked underneath her grasp, and with every hope it would stop the shaking she took him into her arms. How long they stayed that way she didn't know, but he wept the entire time. _

Mary grabbed a clean pillow case, and straightened a photograph on the wall before she entered her bedroom to attempt rest again. The pictures of James lying in her arms, covered in crimson and making the same promises from so many years ago were still haunting her within the confines of her mind, so sleep didn't come. She tossed and turned, thinking about her father, Marshall, feeling horrible for Abigail. After those two had tied the knot, Mary had nearly no choice but to get along with Southern Drawl Barbie. And she did. Better than expected.

_"I know I'm the last person you wanna talk to right now, but Marshall is just out there collecting himself." The inspector admitted for the discomposed Chief, taking a seat beside the hospital bed. Mrs. Mann was red eyed and shaking just as badly as her husband. _

_ "I j-just wanted to give him a baby Mary…" she looked up from examining her I.V._

_ "Abigail, there's still time, you're so young, my biological clock was __**screaming**__, yours is like barely ticking." She had no idea what else she could say, shuddering at the silence, she added, "I'm sure everything will be fine-_

_ "No Mary, nothing will be fine, __**Marshall**__ wanted children,__** I **__wanted children, but now- I can't even carry a child anymore." _

_ This was more than Mary had expected to hear. She grabbed for Abigail's hand, surprised to feel how cold it was. Her imagination ran wild with what they possibly could have done, what possibly could have happened, but she knew she had pried enough at the Detective in the sensitive, fragile state she was in, so she just spewed out whatever came to mind, whatever sounded reassuring in her head,_

_ "I'm sorry to hear that. If anyone deserves a child, it's you and Marshall. Bu there are so many options you have, ad-_

"_I really don't want to talk about all of this right now." She interrupted. "Tell Marshall I- I need him. Please?" she pulled her hand away, "Thanks Mary." She choked before Mary exited the room. _

_ She knew as she walked out the door and into the hallway, she had told Abby all of the wrong things. And she knew as she informed her best friend his wife 'needed' him, it was the wrong thing to say, so she grabbed his arm before he could disappear back into his pain. _

_ "I'm sorry Marshall." was the only thing she could bring herself to say when she should have said and done so much more than that. _

_ He nodded, and opened his mouth to reply and quickly closed it. He shook his head again, squeezed her shoulder and feigned a hopeful expression before reentering the room where his mourning wife dwelled. _

"How's Abigail?" Mary asked, throwing her coat over the back of her chair while Marshall was pouring his morning cup of coffee.

"She's well. Having a hard time moving on, but the doctors reassured us that getting back to work is the best option for her. Her psychiatrist wanted her back two weeks ago, but she just wasn't ready. She promised me if it's too hard to handle she'll come here and we can talk it over."

"It's been a month, that's not a long time for something like this…" She tried to sound like she knew what she was talking about.

"It's been long enough Mare." He replied sadly, sipping gingerly at the caffeine contained in his cup.

"How are _you_?" Mary asked, getting much quieter than before even though they were the only ones in the office, Charlie and Delia being out checking on witnesses and the paper pushers being off today.

"I'm fine." He gave her a weak smile, too feeble to even partially convince Mary.

"Like I'm gonna believe that for a second. It's okay for you to be upset Marshall. Abigail's not here, there's no one around you need to fool."

"Mare now's not the time to get into this."

"No. It is. When do _you_ get to grieve? When do _you_ get your time to feel?" she asked him angrily, unsure of why she was enraged about the subject.

"I've been sad, I've been bitter, I've been absolutely terrified of what we should do next! If you don't mind, I just want to be numb for a while okay?" he spat back, slamming the door to his office.

Numb. Now she had been there before. Lately. Three years had passed and she was still reliving her father's death over and over in her dreams. Marshall and Abigail had miscarried their child as quickly as they announced its impending arrival, which was just the icing on the cake. Jinx was still on the right track, teaching more and more classes at the studio as they received influxes of little girls wanting to learn how to pirouette and Mary couldn't be more grateful for that 'three year sober chip' buried somewhere within the depths of her mother's purse. On top of all of that, she was constantly reminded that Norah was growing up and her sister didn't need her anymore.

_Mary held Riley in her arms, silently praying that the child would continue her slumber as her own daughter was guided down the wide carpet covered aisle by her mother, chucking handfuls of flower petals of all sorts on the ground. Giggles escaped the one year olds mouth as she was allowed to do one of her favorite things- make a mess. _

_ And then came Brandi. Her dress flowing beautifully over her newly found post-baby curves, carrying a bouquet of a fully in- tact, array of perennials. _

_ He awaited her, his tux creased in all the right places; he smiled beneath the arch covered in vines. His eyes were glittering with triumph, instead of disappointment like the last time Mary had seen him in this very place. She inched backward on the steps to allow room for the poofy-ness of her sister's gown. She shuddered at the thought that these were the very steps Marshall had reassured her everything would be fine as she went into long, terrifying labor for her daughter just a little over a year ago. She looked into the crowd of people seeing so many unfamiliar faces, except for Marshall with Abigail on his arm, standing in the very back. _

_ How she got so lost in sifting through the sea of guests she was unsure,_

_ "I do." And then the sound of breaking glass and Mary was back, smiling, surrounded by jubilation, her sister turned and took the baby from her arms. What she most remembered about that day was a teary eyed Jinx, the wind whipping through Brandi's hair and the way Peter was beaming. _

_ And she had just felt… numb._

**I hope no one is angry with me for what I have done. I know most will be offended about the whole Marshall- Abigail thing, but things don't always go the way we hope them to, Mary finds that out the hard way very soon ;) and always has. Please review!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Soooooo- thanks to JJ2008, BrittanyLS, and Sparky She –Demon who have reviewed and to those of you who have alerted and favorited It's much appreciated! **

**I'm sure some of you can tell where this is going… sorry for the predictability level! But enjoy nonetheless!**

She knocked on his office door, expecting him to ignore her unspoken request to step into his space, but the door swung open and to her surprise, a remorseful looking Marshall stood in front of her.

"I apologize." He said, welcoming her into the small area by stepping aside.

"For what?" She knew very well for what.

"I was rude. I understand you were just trying to help. I get that."

"You had every right to be… it's none of my business what's been going on between you and your wife. I should be the one who's sorry." Mary stated honestly. She was sorry, sorry he had to go through this, she felt sorry for her best friend, who wanted nothing more than to expand his family and just couldn't. She was also sorry that she, by accident had had a child- who she couldn't help but show she loved more than anything else every day. She knew that hurt him.

"No, really." He rested against his desk, supporting himself with his arms, before he continued, "Mary, I've been truly disheartened before, but not until recently have I ever felt true sadness." He sighed. "I want a child. Very much. But I feel like, it's not fair of me to feel that way anymore. Is that- is that crazy?" Marshall looked truly defeated, probing for any wisdom she had to offer him. It reminded of her the way Norah looked at her, during their chats late at night when her daughter claimed she couldn't sleep.

"That's not crazy. Not at all." She grabbed his arm. "Why don't you tell _her_ all of this Marshall?"

"I can't. I've tried, attempted to sit down and just talk to her like we used when we were first married, but I can't. Not for the past month. What was supposed to be the most joyful time in our marriage, in our lives, has turned into a dark, unnerving, rough patch. I've felt terror strike at my heart Mary, but never like this. I just think she's… slipping away." There were the tear drops she had been waiting for, streaming down the already flushed cheeks of her best friend's features. She took his face in her hands, wiping the tears away with her thumbs,

"If you're this upset, if you truly think you're losing her, you have to tell her that. You have to let her know that's not what you want…" Mary pressed his cheek to her collar bone, holding him so he could let it all out; everything he had bottled up trying to keep Abigail in her somewhat stable state of mind was flowing out of him now.

"I don't know what I want any more Mare." He trembled, causing her to hold him tighter,

"Who _does _Marshall?"

_"I'm not sure I know what you mean." He questioned, a grin on his face, but it was about to dissipate rapidly._

_ "I just don't think we should see each other anymore… Really, where did you think this was going? Because to me it just felt like a fling. And it won't ever feel like anything else." She admitted to the man sitting on the park bench._

_ "Mary?"_

_ "I mean it Kenny. I just can't right now." _

_ She kicked the brake on Norah's stroller after she planted a peck on his cheek. She walked away with a forced smile, a cranky baby and no regrets of any sort about what she had just done._

He sniffed a few times, wiping his eyes with his sleeves.

"Do you want to grab a slice later?" Marshall tried to make the invite sound appealing with his fake jolly tone, but Mary had already started shaking her head,

"I have no one to watch Norah tonight and Jinx is off teaching those little bunheads how to twirl correctly, so I'll have to pass. Have dinner with Abby, it would be nice if you two got together for a little romance…"

"I've tried romance; I've tried even just being there, to hold her, I've done all of that… it just doesn't work anymore. Nothing works anymore" he whispered, taking a seat at his desk, behind a mountain of paper work.

"Just hang in there Marshall. If not for Abby, then for me."

And that got her a smile. Maybe not a Marshal Marshall Mann best, but a smile nonetheless.

After a day of no witnesses and a stack of paperwork to match her Chief's Mary went home to find Joanna asleep on the couch, Norah passed out on her lap. It was around seven, so it was nearly the tyke's bed time, but it was unusual to find Joanna asleep as well. With a smirk pasted on her face, she took her daughter into her arms and gently coaxed the grandma awake,

"I got it from here."

"Oh Mary, I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to…" she said rubbing her eyes.

"No, it's totally fine. It's her bed time anyway." She said, clicking the T.V off with the remote.

"I'll just get my stuff together and be out of your hair…" Joanna fussed, struggling off the couch.

"Don't be silly, take your time. I still can't thank you enough for helping me out like this…"

"_You_ don't be silly, thank you for letting me be a part of that amazing little girl's life. As cheesy as it sounds, thank you for giving Mark a chance to be a father, I know anyone would think twice before trusting him with a child like you did…" The pause was awkward, mainly because Mary had every intention of not letting Mark father Norah, she was all for keeping it a secret, but he showed up on her doorstep and the jig was up.

_"Is that my kid?"_

_ "Actually it's mine…Ours…." Mary admitted, suddenly feeling self-conscious of her protruding belly and how incredibly noticeable it was in the sun dress she had thrown on. _

"Yeah, no problem. I'll see you Monday." Mary was trying to dismiss the woman without seeming rude. There was so much on her mind after Joanna had left, and Norah was sound asleep in her own bedroom, she nearly jumped from her own skin when the doorbell rang.

She looked at the clock on the wall. Ten in the evening was a little late for someone to be at her door. Instinctively, she tucked her glock in her pants, covered it with her shirt and started over to find out who was calling upon her so far into the evening.

She turned the lock and poked her head out, not to find Mark, not to find a strange man looking for forcible admittance into her home, but the man she least expected to find.

"Marshall?" Mary's eyebrows rose as she opened the door all the way. His hands were shoved in his pockets, looking down at his feet.

"I didn't wake Norah did I?" he asked, looking up to reveal his glossy, swollen eyes.

"No, come in." she waved him in, "Where's Abigail?"

He didn't respond right away, sending chills down the Inspector's spine.

"She, uh, left." He half sobbed, half stated.

"Huh? She left you?"

"That's what seems to have happened. She left a note, all her clothes were gone. She said she needed time to uh- think and she's gone. Just like that Mary, can you believe that? What am I supposed to do now?"

"Did she tell you where she was going?" Was all she could think to say, but she was sure if he had known, they'd already be out looking for her. Mary led him to the sofa, using very little force to make him sit down.

"I knew she was having a hard time, and I knew I was losing her, but I didn't know she would just up and leave while I was at work." He cried his head in his hands.

"Marshall, you're blaming yourself, don't blame yourself, this isn't your fault. Maybe she just needs her space… Give her some time."

"I don't want to give her anymore time." The man stated so matter of fact Mary almost fell over.

"What?"

"I've given her space, told her how much I loved her, how I was there for her, I even offered to quit WITSEC Mary! She left anyway. I can't fix this and I need to stop trying!"

"Marshall I think it's late, it's been a long day, maybe you should sleep on it? That sounds like a good idea, I'll make up the couch for you okay?" She was trying to sound rational, after that bomb he just dropped on her she just wanted to sound like she had her bearings on the situation.

"Mary please don't leave me, I don't wanna be alone." It was uncharacteristically said, his voice horribly weak and breaking in the middle of his words. She was sad for him, sad for herself, sad that Abigail hadn't the nerve to understand how _he _felt, what he needed. She had just left, selfishly. After she had leaned on him, tore him apart inside without realizing, she packed her things and took off. She bit her lip, wondering what could have possessed her to hurt him that way. Mary sighed, looking down at the man she felt this heartache for.

She had come to terms with it; she had finally understood that he had a right to be happy. She dealt with it. He was her best friend, he deserved everything, and Abigail had gone and taken it all away.

She couldn't piece much together, she just prayed Norah wouldn't awake to find Marshall, the one she assumed was indestructible, falling apart in her living room. Mary could barely believe all of this herself, but by the end of the night, Marshall had sobbed his heart out, and had fallen asleep, his head in her lap.

**I hope you enjoyed the chapter! More to come- herd your friends to my story! Thank you to those who have read! Love you all! Please review! I love to read them reviews!**


	4. Chapter 4

**More of Norah, more of Marshall- so much more of Marshall ;)  
I'm weary of rating the ENTIRE story rated M, and really it's nothing graphic, so I'll just start ya off with a warning It get's spicy… barely haha! I know some of you will be frustrated with Norah, but I'll address that at the end of the story. **

It was about three in the morning when he woke up, Mary still wide awake and wired, running her fingers through his locks of brown hair.

"Damn it. I'm sorry Mare." He whispered, yawning, and rubbing at his raw face with his large hands, lifting himself to a sitting position so Mary could stretch.

"Don't sweat it; you would have done the same for me."

Marshall made a feeble, familiar attempt at a smile.

"Would you mind if I grabbed a glass of water?" He asked clearing his throat, stumbling in the dark toward the kitchen.

"Go right ahead, I'm gonna go check on Norah, turn off her night light, she hasn't been able to sleep without that since you gave it to her." Mary chuckled disappearing into the hallway. She returned in a moment, her thumbs hanging from her belt loops.

"Well, I didn't mean to put you out, so I'll just get going." He said, putting down his glass. He made his way to the door, but as he turned the handle, something compelled her to stop him,

"Marshall you don't have to leave. I mean you can stay with me tonight, you shouldn't have to go home to an empty house…" she tiptoed over to the doorway where he stood, and took the knob from his hand to close off the threshold.

"I don't want to intrude.."

"Don't be an idiot, you're my best friend you're never intruding." She grinned, looking up into his blue eyes playfully, not expecting what came next.

He leaned down, taking her bottom lip and gently kissed her, his hands remaining at his sides, one second went by and he pulled back.

"I'm sorry that was inappropriate." He looked down at the floor, guiltily.

But, Mary recovered from the stun quickly, only to return the embarrassed apology with another, more passionate, longer kiss, pressing her fingertips into his shoulder blades, running her hands down the muscular bulges in his back. At first look, he was a scrawny man, but she found once she got her hands on him, that certainly wasn't the case.

It wasn't long until they had moved to the couch, and were feeling each other up like excited teenagers, and then the suggestion came,

"Bed?" One word. One word can change innocent play into infidelity. There was no guilt in what they did, they simply did it. Mary found herself shedding her shirt, her tank top, unbuttoning his pants, nibbling on his lip, exploring his back muscles with her hands a little more, letting him do what he wished to do to her. It seemed like not even a minute had passed and they were standing in front of each other bare, their eyes blazing with what they desired to do to each other. He was the first to give in, inching closer so that Mary could feel the heat of his body, it took time, but eventually, they were totally against each other. No words were spoken, Mary nibbled at his ear, and he returned the gesture, moments later he was entangled in the sheets of her bed and she was anxious to rip them from him, but he worked quickly, not letting her attention move from their passion. He threw the unwanted covers from the bed and took Mary by her breasts, so she dug her knuckles into his shoulder blades as his hands worked their way down to her thighs. They continued on like this for a long while, but time flew by for both.

How could something so wrong, feel so right? Mary wondered, as Marshall recovered the sheets and the comforter so they wouldn't be occupying her bed, exposed and vulnerable, after the sex they had just had.

She didn't feel guilty, she felt amazing. Not until they were both laying there, their chests heaving up and down their lungs burning for air, did her conscience start to corrode her mood.

"I- she took a deep breath- think you're supposed to have break up sex with the person you broke up with…"

"Well we've never been two to take a normal route in doing anything… why should this be anything different?" he inquired light heartedly and breathless.

"Because… You're married." It sounded more like a realization, like she hadn't known before and had just figured it out.

He was silent, gulping at the lump in his throat, as Mary did. They shared the same lump, the guilt was corroding their airways, it was their own way of punishing themselves for the act they had committed. The sick feeling in Mary's stomach, probably not as bad as Marshall's was bringing her to the brink of tears.

He sat up, slipping on his boxers so he could dress less awkwardly. Mary lay on her side, gnawing on the inside of her cheek, having no idea what she should say. What she had just done was unthinkable in anyone's book and at that moment she made a silent promise that she would forever keep this secret.

_"Partner, if your mother asks, just tell her I went to get a few things at the store."_

_ "Are you going to the track Daddy?" she asked, as her father realized he wouldn't be fooling the sly six year old. _

_ "Maybe." He smiled, ruffling her blonde waves, opening the dented door to his work van. _

_ "Why can't I tell Jinx?" she asked stubbornly._

_ He sighed, jumping from the driver's side, he crouched down on the grass to be eye level with his daughter,_

_ "It's a secret, can you keep a secret?"_

_ "What's a secret?"_

_ "It something you're not allowed to tell anyone partner." he whispered._

_ "Okay Daddy." She pouted, kicking a chunk of grass out of the ground. _

_ "Take care of your mother until I get back!" And he drove away, leaving her to fend off Jinx, and keep that secret while doing so. _

Mary felt a tugging on her foot that made her jump from her bed, startled she let out a yell. Mary realized she had been asleep and Marshall was nowhere to be found.

The next few minutes consisted of calming her scared, crying daughter,

"I'm sorry Mommy!" she wailed.

"No, Bug, don't cry, I didn't mean to make you sad, you know I didn't mean it." She rocked her back and forth, running her fingers through her hair. Soothing and apologizing the small child in her arms, "I'm so sorry Norah, please calm down!" Her mother begged.

The little girl sniffed, wiping at her eyes, and her nose, switching the subject so fast it almost gave Mary whiplash,

"Was Marshall here last night?"

"Huh Bug?" she asked, trying to fabricate a white lie, but her imagination didn't work quickly enough to match the sharp three year old.

"I heard him talkin."

"Well, mommy can't fool ya Nor. Marshall was a little sad so he came over so I could make him feel better." Mary told her daughter honestly, removing her from her lap, to sit beside her on the bed.

"Why didn't he say 'hi' to me?" She whined.

"You were asleep little one." She grunted as she got to her feet, shedding the sheets. Her pajamas were old and faded, the only ones she could find in the dark last night, because she knew it would have been disastrous if Norah had made her way in only to find her mother only covered by a very thin blankets.

"He could have woken me up."

"Now you know Marshall is much too respectful to wake a little girl from her slumber..." Mary smiled.

Yet again, the child dropped the subject quickly to Mary's relief,

"Mommy?"

"What bug?" She asked, checking her cell phone for any missed calls.

"Can I play soccer?"

"Oh Nor, maybe next year kay? The season already started!"

"Softball?"

"Yes. You can play _tee ball_ in the spring, now how bout' some breakfast?"

"Can we has Pancakes?" Her eyes lit up.

"Yes Bug, we can _have _Pancakes- shaped like softballs!" Mary played, lifting Norah, so that her little face was just inches from hers, planting a kiss directly on her forehead.

Mary whipped up a quick batch of flap jacks, lined some blueberries up to look like the lacing on the ball and served them up to her three year old, who didn't bother using a fork. The pancake went from the plate to her tiny fist so she could bite off a mouthful and then she would chew, usually talking at the same time.

"Why was Marshall sad last night?"

She stopped, and sat down beside her daughter,

"Marshall was just sad because Abby, that nice lady you met was sad."

"Why was she sad?"

"She was sad because sometimes bad things happen." Mary was trying to be vague, selfishly not wanting to explain a lot today, but her young daughter persisted, almost as if out witting her own mother,

"What bad thing happened to her?"

How the hell could a three year old follow a conversation better than her aunt?

"You're too little to understand Nor." Mary warned.

"I'm not too little." She frowned. The way her eyes shined with an onslaught of tears, Mary realized she was being difficult today.

She sighed,

"Marshall and Abby were gonna have a baby, and now they're sad because they can't."

"Why not?"

"I don't know I'm not a doctor Bug." Mary stated, "Eat your food."

"Mommy?"

"What Norah?" She couldn't help but sound exasperated, and felt bad the moment her daughter recoiled in understanding.

"Nevermind." The little girl whispered.

"No Nor, tell me what you were gonna say."

"Were you happy when I was a baby?"

Mary had no idea where that came from, why it came, how she could even think up such questions being so small.

"Of course I was, you're my baby girl Norah. My one and only forever and ever." Mary replied sweetly, poking her finger into her daughter's belly to hear the perfect little giggle she had.

_"A baby?"_

_ "Yes Partner, your mother is gonna have a baby."_

_ "But, I thought you said I was your baby?" Her green eyes were brooding, as her bottom lip poked out to reveal she was about to pout._

_ "You are. Beautiful you are." He said, taking the six year old by her tiny hands, "But you see, sometimes we have to make room for new babies."_

_ "Do we have to?" she stomped her little foot. _

_ "Yes." He chuckled, "But that's not going to change that you're my baby girl."_

_ "Promise forever?" She asked, chewing on her thumb nail._

_ "My baby girl, forever and ever." He grinned tugging at her sleeves so she would crack a smile. _

"Is Marshall gonna come over again today?" Norah asked happily.

"Probably not." Mary answered, suddenly not feeling well enough to be eating the food in front of her. Her conscience was going to give her a beating, how could she have been so foolish? Abigail was no doubt going to be back to him, they were perfect together, anyone could see that, how could she have been so irresponsible? She could have said no, she could have refused. She took advantage of him. Now she would have to live with it.

"That's too bad. Is he still sad?"

"Yeah Bug, he will be for a little while at least, but he'll get better, Abby and him just have to sort some stuff out."

"Does Abby love Marshall?" Norah asked, chewing on another pancake thoughtfully.

"Yes, very much, that's why they wanted a baby together." Mary looked over, to see the grin on her daughter's face.

"Do _you _love Marshall?"

"He's my best friend… Of course I love him Bug."

**Yes. I know Norah is a smart three year old. But, if you can believe it, I've had similar conversations with my three year old cousin and she followed just as well **

**Hope that doesn't bother you too much! Thanks for all of the reviews on the last chapter! Hope you enjoy! And hope you review!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Fast paced- you'll soon see, but only because I don't want a billion chapters and there's a lot to explain… WARNING- you're gonna hate me. ENJOY!**

"Good for you for trying to work things out!" Mary boomed over the phone at her best friend's weekly Abigail report, chewing on a few tums to stop her churning stomach.

A little over a month was a long time to be apart, it was like a mini- divorce she supposed, but like she had predicted the two of them had begun some vigorous rejuvenation of their relationship. One month was also a long time not to have talked about what happened between them that night he had unofficially separated from his wife. She had been assuming he wouldn't tell Abby of _that_ whole debacle. But she could be wrong.

"Hey Marsh, I think I'm gonna let you go, Norah's- she gulped- home." She clicked the 'end' button before he could say his goodbye, having lied about Norah's arrival to get him off the phone so he wouldn't have to overhear the gagging charade that ensued as she ran through her house, and barreled through her bathroom door. Her eyes watered, and the smell of vomit turned her stomach again, so the next few moments consisted of her head almost entirely in the toilet bowl, hurling up every last thing in her stomach.

_"Is Jinx ever gonna stop puking Daddy?" _

_ "Yes Partner, Mom's body is changing a little bit is all." The dad reassured from over his newspaper._

_ "Why is her body changing?" _

_ He put the paper down, sighing,_

_ "When a woman throws up a lot, it could mean she has the flu, but your mother is pregnant. And when you're pregnant your body changes so much that you throw up a lot -because it's trying to catch up with itself 'cause you have to grow for a baby to fit in your tummy." He pinched her nose playfully._

_ "Oh… Daddy?" she looked up from her stale bowl of cereal._

_ "What partner?" he looked over his paper again, eyes dancing with curiosity. _

_ "I don't think I'm ever gonna have a baby." _

Mary pushed herself up off her knees, flushing the toilet as she did so. Her vision was blurry and she felt a little dizzy as she made her way over to take a look at herself in the mirror.

She examined her face, red, her eyes were bloodshot, and suddenly her whole body ached. As her stomach did flips, she thought back to just over a month ago. What you don't think about in the heat of the moment can surely come back to haunt you in a month's time, in the most difficult ways. A moment of weakness, and look what she had done?

She stopped her lip from quivering, and opened up the cabinet under her sink. About two years ago, Mary had- had a similar scare. Granted, Kenny always used protection, so she almost seriously doubted her assumption that terrifying night. This was different. She pulled almost everything out of the cabinet, finding the crushed box of tests.

_"You led the sharp shooting seminar at WITSEC I'm pretty sure you didn't miss the stick!"_

_ "Kay it might be a false pregnancy, they exist I read about them online!" _

_ "How many more symptoms do you want, I could hold a rabbit a block away and it would still die!"_

Old tests can be faulty right? The positive staring back at her was just wrong. Wrong in more ways than one. There's was no baby- no mini Marshall Mann growing like a weed in her uterus. It was some sort of sick, twisted dream; she would wake up Norah being her only worry, her only child. Marshall could be happily married to his _wife _and Mary could live _her_ life, her daughter in tow.

"Mare? We're back!"

"Oh, well err- I'll be right there!" She knocked the test into the trash with a flick of her wrist.

"Mommy, we went to the zoo today!" Norah pushed open the door to the bathroom, showing off a stuffed giraffe.

"Cool Bug!" Mary played along, wiping her eyes and ignoring the child's explosive entrance.

"Are you mad?" Her expression went very serious, her tiny mouth forming a frown, her eyes growing wide, brown and probing. She got those eyes from Mark, but the searching, scanning, twinkle to her pupils she most definitely got from Mary. She was a little girl with an incredible intuition. She was not cold, nor was she outgoing, although the word independent couldn't truly define her either. She could make friends very easily, but she didn't. She chose to be alone and around unfamiliar adults she acted very shy, but she would take every moment she could get with either one of her parents, but tended to avoid them when they were together. Norah, although young, was very decisive and stubborn. Marshall once said, "She may have her Daddy's looks, but she's got an abrasive, defined personality like you Mare." Mary hoped that wasn't true. She hoped her daughter would stay happy, that the abrasiveness that she had been cursed with wouldn't affect her daughter as profoundly as it had her. She hoped by giving Norah the childhood_ she_ had never had, she would give her the opportunity to have hopes and dreams, time to be irresponsible and imagine the way _she_ never could. Mostly, she just didn't want to screw the tiny tot up.

Once she realized she hadn't answered, having gotten lost in thought she took Norah up into her arms, to fill the gap of silence, admiring the eyes of her three year old again, which caused the child to scrunch her nose, in a manner so similar to what Mary would, and then repeat herself, "Mommy, are you mad?"

"What? Why would you say that?" Mary questioned, her expression confused, as if the child hadn't interrupted her breakdown, in which she had been feeling a little angry.

"Cause' your eyes are all shiny and your eyes are never like that 'cept when I leave my toys evwy-where."

Mary had to laugh. It was impossible not to. The look on Norah's face was so ridiculous after that, and she chewed on her thumbnail to hide her hurt. Mary stroked her cheek, smiling,

"I just felt a little sick, probably just a flu Bug. You don't need to worry about it" She ruffled the already messy hair atop Norah's head, "I have to go talk to your Daddy okay?"

"Yup." The little girl grinned, wiggling out of her mother's arms.

Mary turned the corner, traveling down the hallway where Mark stood, his hands shoved in his pockets,

"I wasn't sure whether you were doing your business or not…" he swept the floor with his shoe, his cheeks red,

"_My business?_ Yikes Mark." She shook her head, leaning against the wall.

"Norah had dinner, but I may have promised her dessert, sooo….."

"No problem, we usually share a bowl of ice Sunday night anyway- Mark looked at her, cocking his head to one side- "_Ice_? That's a little odd." He interrupted.

"OH! No, not like actual _ice_! _Ice cream_, she just doesn't have her _r's_ quite down yet and she hates it when I correct her so she avoids them whenever she gets a chance. I'm not mad about it; she'll grow out of it. A few words she still can't get down, but she almost has it… I think I'll give her an extra special treat and let her have her own bowl tonight- anyway, I need to ask you something." Mary stepped forward a little bit so Norah wouldn't over hear her name in the conversation and come running.

"What's up? Is everything okay?" he asked, his brow furrowing, the wrinkles on his forehead becoming much more prominent.

"Yeah everything's fine. I just need to take care of something, can you take Norah to the park or_ somewhere_ with slides and then out to lunch maybe- I'll front you the cash…"

"You don't need to pay me to spend time with my kid, I'll take her whenever you need me to…" he said sweetly.

"I'll let you know when, but for now just keep your cellphone nearby." Mary lowered her voice considerably.

"Are you _sure _everything is all right? I mean, I'm not complaining, but you're coming across as a little… well sketchy Mary." He let out a short, breathy chuckle.

"Yeah, I just have to do something, but I'm not entirely sure when I'm gonna do it, you'll know soon enough- I could probably get it done at work too… whatever just, keep me in mind, kay?"

"Well it's not like you've done anything illegal, all those police friends. I don't ever worry about you." He waved his hand as if brushing the entire situation out of his mind.

"Thanks?"

"Well I better get going; I have to get up around four in the morning to pick up some solar paneling samples from the warehouse about one hundred miles _that _way." He pointed behind him,

"Okie dokie. NORAH, DADDY'S LEAVING, COME SAY GOODBYE!" Mary called down the hallway.

_"Do you have to go?"_

_ "It's work kiddo- I gotta go, but I'll be back as soon as I can, and what do you say? Maybe we'll go for a ride and get some ice cream okay?"_

_ "Yeah daddy. Sure." The little girl tugged on his shirt to be pulled up for an embrace._

She came running, her tangled locks flipping as she bounded toward her father into his waiting arms. Mary felt a little nauseous watching the entire motion take place, but held her own, swallowed hard and got her wits about her, before telling Mark goodbye herself.

Mary scooped a few spoonful's of ice cream into a small bowl, and made her way to the couch, she set the bowl down in front of her daughter. Norah frowned,

"Mommy, don't you want some?"

"Mom doesn't want any ice tonight Bug, my tummy is still sick, but you can have some."

"I don't want none."

"What are you talking about Nor? You always have your ice."

"I don't want none." She repeated.

"But Daddy said he promised you dessert, do you want something else?"

"Nuh-uh, I not hungry." She said. Mary sighed, shifting all of her weight to her left foot.

"Then what do you wanna do Bug?" The mother asked, setting the bowl down on the coffee table, kneeling down to be at eye level. Norah sat on the couch, her tiny legs not even over the edge of the cushion, her arms crossed, pouting, "Oh, please don't be angry with me, Mommy doesn't feel well….how about we watch a movie?" Mary offered, "I'll let you stay up past your bed time."

Normally, she wouldn't bribe her, but she was in no mood to argue or watch her daughter tear up from time out, so the few seconds it took Norah to answer was dramatically suspenseful.

"Can we has ice?" Her little eye brows rose, even if she resembled her father, her facial expressions could easily prove to come from Mary.

"_You _can _have _ice."

"Fine."

Mary set the bowl in her daughter's lap, and popped a DVD in the player. She let her stomach gurgle and flip at its own will, as she held her child in her arms, not really paying attention to the film playing on her TV screen.

In her mind she was playing over what she would say to Marshall, how she would stop herself from getting angry, or upset. How she would lie to Abigail for him if it came down to it. She would punish herself, probably for the rest of her life for what she had gone and done. She had made a mistake; she was the first to admit it. Her thoughts wandered to her options. Adoption was looking particularly appealing again, but as she looked down to see Norah, dozing off, ice cream on her face only ten minutes after her bed time, Mary could already tell no option would be acceptable if she couldn't hold her baby in her arms when all was said and done, even if it was Marshall's baby, and even if they never spoke again, even if everything did come crumbling down around her.

** Hope you enjoyed, and aren't angry with all of the Norah I've added in With a sprinkle of Mark. And very soon, (a few chapters) a dash of Abigail ;)**


	6. Chapter 6

**I feel like everyone is going to hate Marshall's reaction, but quite frankly, this deep into a relationship with Abigail and trying to come back after losing a baby, I feel like he wouldn't just jump right on the daddy wagon right away, especially if it wasn't his wife's and especially if he had had an affair with Mary. **

**Thanks for the reviews and the favorites and the alerts and the reads! ENJOY THIS CHAPTER. **

**Last update until Sunday! **

"Hey Marshall, do you- uh- she gulped, wanting to keep the muffin that was slowly climbing up her throat, in her stomach and then she continued- do you have a minute?"

"I have to go instate a new witness in about an hour, but yeah I have time. What's up? Norah all right?"

It seemed whenever she wished to talk to anyone in private their first concern was her daughter, it was annoying at times, but it just meant he cared right? And if he cared, he would certainly be fine with this…. Right? She wiped at the sweat on her brown and cleared her throat,

"Yes, she's fine. This has nothing to do with Norah." She replied quietly, closing the door to his office.

"This must be serious, you're shutting the door." He teased, sitting back in his chair, a sly smirk pasted on his face.

"We have to talk, and not that buddy- buddy talk…. I mean we really have to talk." She said, lowering herself into the chair, unable to stop herself from letting the secret slip from her mouth so abruptly it stunned her, as well as Marshall, "I'm pregnant."

It had been two weeks. Two weeks of watching Abigail kiss him goodbye every morning as she fought with herself to keep whatever food she had foolishly eaten that day down. Two weeks of looking at him and thinking about the child that she always had with her. Thinking about the baby that would come out with sparkling blue eyes and a beautiful smile and how much better off Marshall would be if she just lied to him. If she just told him it was a one-night stand, which technically wouldn't be a lie depending on how you looked at it. But she couldn't look him straight in the eye and say, "It's Kenny's" when it most definitely wasn't, she couldn't let three or four months go by and have him wondering yet again the cause for her weight gain and her mood swings. She couldn't. It wasn't as easy this time around. She saw Marshall _every day_, she saw Marshall's wife _every day _she was reminded of that baby _every day_.

_"Congratulations Mary, Looks like you're going to be a Momma again." smiled, looking at her blood work._

_ "Yeah…" Mary couldn't feel happy, she couldn't feel blessed she couldn't run to Marshall and say, 'look I had an ultrasound today and this is your kid, in case you felt like knowing'. _

_ Feeling wicked as the mistress; she left that day, sonogram in hand, staring down at the small blob circled in the picture. And as soon as her car door was locked and she was safe behind the tinted windows of her mini- van, she cried. She hadn't any idea how long she sobbed on the steering wheel, but she did. She was six weeks along that day. It marked the sixth week she had been living with the secret in her gut._

"What are you talking about Mare?" he asked, leaning forward in his chair so she could see his fake, jubilant expression more easily- Congratulations!?" he boomed, but the hurt was clear in his tone.

She shifted in her seat, her cheeks grew red with embarrassment, surely, he was smarter than that.

"Congratulations to you too."

"Mary what are you implying?" Marshall asked, growing wearier as she rambled along, "What are you trying to say to me?" he questioned, his voice as shrill as it would go as he tried to play stupid until the last possible second.

"I saw about a week ago, after I had taken a pregnancy test-

His face went dark; his eyes grew to slits,

-and I'm about eight weeks along."

"You're joking right?" was what he managed to choke out at that moment. "This is one of your practical jokes…"

Mary shook her head, not remembering a single prank she had ever played on him, she assumed she had never pulled anything like he was hoping, suddenly the silly notion had her angry,

"Don't be a dick- why would I joke about being pregnant?" She moaned, throwing the hair out of her eyes, behind her ear, "and most importantly, why would I joke about you being the father?!" she gestured to her stomach.

"How could you have let this happen?" he asked.

"Me? Excuse me Chief Mann, but you are half to blame for this yourself! I would have never done what we did if I knew this is how it was going to pan out! What do you think me to be a dimwit or something? Get yourself together!" Mary whispered, exasperation flooding her tone.

"But I'm _married_. Abigail and I we- what the hell am I supposed to do now?" he stood up, his eyes on fire with the facts. Mary sat shaking her head, wondering why he thought this was news to her.

"I'm not asking you to do anything- she whispered.

"SHUT UP, MARY JUST SHUT UP! I'm supposed to have children with the woman I am married to-_ not_ my best friend!." He yelled. "I need to be alone- get out." He stated flatly, no emotion, she couldn't tell if he was sorry even. Marshall pointed in the direction of the door.

Mary didn't move at first, shifted uncomfortably in her seat again, and very tempted to yell back, but the look he gave her shortly after dismissing her was enough to send her at her wits end.

"Marshall, I don't care what you do, how you do it, or what you decide. I'm having your kid. Whether you choose to ignore that fact, whether you choose to tell Abigail or not, is on you- but _not _the daddy thing. I'm not expecting you to support it, or send me checks every month. I've told you already, I have no problem raising my kids by myself." Mary slammed the door to his office, and the tears she had been holding back covered her face, streaming down her cheeks from the corners of her eyes.

"God damn it." Mary whispered sniffling and wiping the rogue tears from her beat red mug, unable to keep it dry because they fell so steadily. It seemed her life consisted of grabbing her coat and walking out of the WITSEC office lately.

The keys to her car were in her bag so she had to dig for several minutes, and gave too much time for her to be out in the open; Delia entered, the doors swinging open to reveal the peppy woman,

"Mary?! Are you cryin?" she bellowed, putting her stuff down in a heap on her desk, taking a long stride to reach her partner.

"No Delia, I just- got something in my eyes… Tell Charlie to look at my computer for reminders this next week, okay? I'm taking a… a vacation. Marshall will know what to do if he doesn't…" She sighed, "See ya later." She choked, finally finding her keys.

"Later." Delia watched as Mary left the building, causing her hair on the back of her neck to stand up and for chills to radiate up and down her spine. Maybe Marshall had been watching too. He had a knack for making her all tingly inside. She was already fed up with her own pouting; all of the drama, but the drama hadn't even ensued yet. Jinx didn't know. Brandi didn't know. Norah didn't know. And Abigail_, definitely_ didn't know, but would _soon._ She _knew_ that. Marshall wouldn't keep a secret from her for very long. He _couldn't_, un- WITSEC related, he didn't lie. No lives were at stake, just his marriage, just her friendship. He wouldn't lie.

Mary closed the door to her mini-van, she sniffed, wiping at her nose with her long sleeves,

"Hormones… That's it, hormones" She mumbled to herself, turning back to see into her gigantic blind spot. She shakily shifted the car, turning out onto the parking lot.

She had never liked talking to herself before; it wasn't as soothing as she had thought it would be to spew her thoughts into the open, empty space around her. In fact, it just made her sick. Sick of what she had done, she was sick of everything. She hadn't cared what Mark had thought, his opinion hadn't mattered. Not at all. But now, in this mess again, she felt that everyone's opinion mattered, Jinx's, Brandi's… At this moment it was as if the two women she had supported and protected for nearly thirty years had gotten their lives together in three.. She had had forty years to straighten up_ her_ act, to get comfortable with _her_ life, but all she had managed to do was watch her father die, stand on the side lines while Marshall exchanged vows and indebted his entire life to someone else and get herself knocked up by her best friend- who just so happened to be that same man who had gotten married only two and half years ago. The only good thing that had come out of this hell was Norah. She was her beautiful, giggling, happy little baby, who, unfortunately was just like her mother in that she wasn't happy unless those around her were happy, or at least feigning it.

Mary shook her head, and jumped as her cell phone rang.

"Hello?" Why hadn't she looked at the caller I.D?

"Mary? Are you okay?" he croaked from the other end of the line.

"I'm fine, but you're not exactly my favorite person right now." She took a in a huge gulp of air, trying to halt her tears.

"I deserve that." he stated.

"Quite frankly, you deserve a lot more than that Marshall. Loads more. A shot to the shin to say the least.." The tears were falling harder now.

"Mary, please don't be upset."

"Upset?! _Upset?_ I'm not upset, I'm seething with rage! Quaking with fear, if you thought this threw _you_ for a loop, at least you don't have to live with the evidence hiding under your shirt!" She pulled over, "I _slept _with my best friend, and I _got pregnant _by my best friend! And now, I've made it so he has to tell his wife that he went off and had sex with the woman she most wanted away from him! Come on Marshall, I've blown any chance you have of being with Abigail!"

"I'm sure we'll be able to work things out." He said meekly.

"Yeah right- because after her miscarriage, she's gonna totally understand that you knocked me up during your separation! Face it, your marriage is falling apart and you've been walking a thin line; this just made the line_…. non-existent_!" Marshall was silent for a while, and she had too much time to think, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean that…" she sighed.

"Yes, yes you did. You meant every word. Did you ever really want me to be happy? Huh? Or was that all just some façade? You very well know that if Abigail, by some remarkable chance still wants to work things out, I will! She is my first choice; she is my wife, for better or for worse! I don't know why you think I need you! I don't! You can't fix me, you can't fix the way I feel. This baby won't fix the way I feel about anything!"

Mary's mouth was wide open and her heart pounded with rage, and her cheeks were wet with tears that had been rushing down as she tried to compose herself, and calm herself down, but she was so appalled by him, so appalled about what he had just said, seconds flew by as she tried to find something to say,

"Well- I- I don't need you either! For some reason I expected more from you Marshall! Or at least, I didn't expect you to label your child unwanted and tell me I don't matter. Fuck you. Fuck everything. Jesus Christ, you're not my first choice either, not at all! I never thought you of all people, after spewing that whole 'I want children, but I feel guilty about it' bullshit would just up and walk out on your kid. That's a fucking low and you should be ashamed of yourself! Screw off-

"Mary- I'm-

"Go fuck yourself."

She jammed in the 'end' button on her blackberry, biting her bottom lip. Refusing to cry anymore and she did something she'd never thought she'd do.

She went to Jinx.

**You all are awesome and I hope you're all right with my direction. Like I said, I don't think the way Marshall even feels for Mary would change the guilt he feels for cheating on Abby, especially after that whole balcony debacle…. Ah well. Be mad at me if you want to. **

**Please review about how you feel, I love to read 'em! 3**


	7. Chapter 7

**A little bit of Jinx, some more Norah, and Stan the Man! Of course. You can't beat the former chief! Please enjoy! **

"Mom?" Mary poked her head into the small office, she was pretty sure was a closet when her mother took over the studio,

"MARY! My darling, how are you? Where's Norah?" she searched for the three year old, her eyes automatically going to her daughter's waist, and all around her feet, "Why don't you ever bring- Jinx looked up, seeing the dark, brooding face of her daughter, a tear streaked and lamenting expression overcoming her normally beautiful features,

"Mom?" Mary's chin wrinkled, and her forehead creased and within seconds her mother had her in her arms, her hand fingering through the blonde hair on her head, the same way Mary did when Norah was upset.

"What sweetheart? What's wrong?"

"I did something…. Something really bad." She cried, shuddering and sobbing, grasping onto her mother's shirt like a small child wanting comfort after having done something terrible.

"_What's wrong partner?"_

"_Promise you won't be mad at me daddy?" the little girl wept, rubbing the tears away with her fists._

"_I promise." _

"_You're still gonna love me after right?"_

"_Of course!" He grunted as he lifted her into his arms, "I'll love you no matter what. You're my little girl, my partner- no come on, tell me what happened."_

"_I- I-_

"What do you mean 'bad'? Huh sweetie, what are you trying to say?" Right now, Jinx was the mother Mary never had as a child, ever since she got that job at the ballet studio, and Norah and Riley came along, she hadn't been the usual overbearing, annoying, pathetic excuse for a maternal figure Mary had ever seen.

"I- I- she hiccupped, heaving in huge amounts of air as her mother attempted to coax out the information Mary had been trying to tell her, "I- I slept with Marshall." She whispered.

Jinx stopped running her fingers through her blonde strands and took her daughters face in her hands, her eyes were icy blue and piercing, with what sort of emotion Mary couldn't tell.

"You did?" Jinx gulped, "Didn't he just marry that Detective Chaffee character not too long ago?" As if she didn't know her eyebrows rose and her voice went higher.

"Mhmm." Mary couldn't look her in the eye, couldn't admit to her mother what she had truly done, not yet.

"Did he _tell_ her?" Jinx didn't seem to really be curious; her tone had changed drastically,

"I don't think so, I just told him-

"What?" he expression was quizzical now, "You had to _tell_ him you slept with him?" Mary knew Jinx was honestly asking her, so she was tempted to bite her tongue and make a lame excuse, but she couldn't bring herself to lie,

"I told him- I told him-

"Spit it out Mary!" Jinx screeched.

"About the baby…" She couldn't help the tears that fell after that, she heaved and sobbed on her mother's shoulder.

"You're pregnant?" was the high pitched squeal that came from Jinx's mouth next.

"Yep. He knocked me up mom, and he doesn't even care, he doesn't even-

She couldn't breathe; she couldn't seem to find any air to inhale.

"Here baby girl, sit down. A_ baby_? I never dreamed you and Brandi would give me _one _grandbaby yet alone, three!" Jinx had this ridiculous, inappropriate smile across her face,

"How the hell are you so h- happy?" Mary sobbed.

"Aren't you happy you're having a baby? A baby Mary! Sweetheart, it's going to be fine!"

She sat there her eyes puffy, doing her best to stop crying,

"MARY?! – Jinx continued- Who cares what Marshall thinks or doesn't think? He can be married to that little witch and Brandi and I can take care of you!"

"I care what he thinks- _I _do! Mom, I think I'm gonna- she sighed- I think I'm gonna ask Stan if he can get me a transfer to D.C." Mary admitted.

"Why?! You're a Marshal! You can do any kind of law enforcement! You don't have to leave Albuquerque!" Jinx's face went a bright shade of red, and her daughter did what she could to stop one of her fits,

"It's not that easy Mom." She sniffed.

To her surprise there was no yelling, nothing of the sort, her mother got up and sat beside her,

"Honey, I really wish you wouldn't make these decisions in such a hurry. Norah won't have Mark or Joanna anymore, you'll practically be tearing everyone else's life apart trying to run away from your own…" She placed her hand on top of Mary's.

"Mom, I'm just so…. Scared." Mary heaved.

"You don't have to be sweetie, I'm right here; I won't let you be alone."

Mary shook her head, somewhat taken aback by her mother's reaction.

"Thanks."

Jinx squealed a few seconds after,

"Oh my GOODNESS, Brandi is gonna be so excited! Do you know how far along you are?" Jinx pivoted in her seat, her legs moving back and forth, she was restless, clearly in need of a subject like Mary was.

Although she felt no desire to talk babies or discuss this topic, she figured after the scene she had just caused she had to appease the bubbling woman in front of her,

"Eight weeks and change." She smirked.

"How exciting!" Her legs ceased the movie, her hands moved to her cheeks, to hide the wide grin overcoming her expression.

"Yep."

"Oh Mary- I love you and- and Marshall loves you too-

"_**No he doesn't**_, you didn't hear what he said to me!" She pulled her hand away from her mother's, attempting to display her contempt for her mother sticking up for him. Suddenly she felt childish.

"I know I didn't. But Mary, get it through your brain! If Marshall slept with you, he clearly feels something for you. He'll come crawling back-

"HE WON'T! He loves Abigail. We're done Ma. It's done; the only evidence of this affair is the ultrasound hiding in my bag, and my developing situation down here!" Mary gestured at her still flat stomach, she had come back from Norah- not so quickly, but she had done it. Now she would just have to do it all over again in nine months' time.

Jinx seemed to completely ignore everything she didn't want to hear, and bombard right through Mary's episode,

"You had an ultrasound?"

Figures. Her mother would hear that out of everything she had said.

"Yeah, I have an ultrasound. Do you want to see it?" She pretended to be burdened by the suggestion, but she rummaged through her bag before she could answer, "Here's the little brat." She handed her mother the slides, wiping at her eyes with a clenched fist.

After some "oooing" and "ahhing" and a few " oh, stop it mom's" her mother finally thought it to be the right time to teach the group of small girls that had been piling up in the studio while Mary wept on her mother's shoulder. Mary was grateful once one of the angry mothers began _banging_ on the door, Jinx hadn't stopped looking at the ultrasound and she just wanted out, so she could go and get Norah.

"Okay, go teach those little rug rats how to stand on their tippy toes, kay Ma?" Mary pointed toward the source of the relentless knocking, and stood up to straighten her blouse and wipe at the tear stains on her jacket, "I promise I won't bail without fair warning." She smiled, and grabbed her bag. Jinx reached over, ultrasound in hand. "Oh yeah." Mary turned back around and grabbed the three copies she had handed to her mother. She held them for a second, staring down, "How can a tiny blob complicate things so much? Anyway- Mary ripped one of the copies off of the slides- Thanks for your help mom." She handed it over to Jinx, who hesitated before finally clutching it between her thumb and index finger.

"Really?" Jinx asked, holding her free hand to her chest.

"Frame it or whatever, I'm gonna go home. Sulk by myself."

"Don't sulk, you sulked your entire pregnancy with Norah! Oh honey, don't let all of this get to you, just think, another baby, maybe another Norah! How exciting is that? I want you to think real hard before you convince yourself that this is a mistake. It's no mistake- I hope you realize that."

Mary rolled her eyes,

"Sure Mom."

With her head down, ignoring the stares of the pissed off women, tapping their feet awaiting Jinx to return to their children so they could also leave, she exited the studio. She rolled her eyes again at her mother's sudden philosophical guidance, sighing as she made her way to her car.

xxx

"What do you mean there are no openings in D.C. WITSEC? Stan, come on!?"

"Mary, calm down, I'm sure whatever blow up happened between you and Marshall can be worked out! Besides, we both know you wouldn't be happy here, you belong in Albuquerque!" Stan argued from the other end of the phone.

"Stan! Please? You don't understand!"

"I do understand, it's just one of your silly little arguments, both of you will get over it, and make up in no time, you can't call me every time you're unhappy with the way Marshall is running things and expect me to transfer you nearly half way across America Mary! No!" He was scolding her like a small child and she didn't appreciate it.

"Silly? You have **no **idea what's going on here in New Mexico, you have no **clue**!" Mary was breathing heavily into the phone and Stan's annoyance was much too obvious even miles away, "I'm sorry Stan; I'm just not feeling… Like myself lately."

"I could push to get you hooked up with Albuquerque P.D., would you prefer to be over there?"

"**NO**! - The word had slid out of her mouth so abruptly; she bit her tongue in hopes that her former chief wasn't as taken aback as she imagined him being- I can't be near Detective Chaffee either." Mary replied coldly.

"Yikes, what the hell happened? I'm sensing some ice in your tone Inspector, is there something you want to tell me? Because I'm definitely missing something here." He was perplexed; Mary could practically see the quizzical expression etched upon his face.

"It's just a mess Stan, a gigantic mess and Marshall's being a dick about it."

"Oh, a dick eh?" Mary could hear the paper work being pushed around on his desk, the sliding of a cup and few pens being thrown in a drawer.

"Yeah, that." She sighed, yawning a little. She looked over her shoulder to make sure Norah's bedroom light was still off, so she could say what she was about to say.

"Well Mary, if Marshall is being a _dick, _perhaps you should speak to him about it."

"I tried; it's not as easy as you think."

"Did you really _try_? Did you say _Marshall, you're being a… ahem… dick."_

"Yes I did, as well as telling him to _fuck off_." Mary snorted, chewing on her fingernails.

"Oh, well strong choice of words Inspector, but I still feel like I'm missing something." He laughed, and Mary heard the creak of him reclining just slightly in his chair.

"Yeah, you're missing quite a bit." Mary responded, not finding this conversation to be the least bit comical.

"Okayyy, quit beating around the bush then! Get on with it Mary!"

She lay back on the couch, resting her hand on her stomach, crossing her ankles.

"I'm pregnant Stan."

"Oh, well- er, I- I- Congratulations!" He stumbled; the obvious sounds of him fumbling with his cellphone filled her ear drums, and she exhaled dramatically.

"And it's Marshall's." Mary's lip quivered, but she managed to maintain her composure.

"Uhh- I- well-what?-

"Mommy?" The higher pitched, tired little voice came from just behind her.

Mary jumped up, her ankles uncrossing, her hand flying away from her tummy,

"Stan I gotta go!" Mary chucked her phone to the other end of the couch. She was pretty sure he wouldn't realize she was even gone. In fact, he was most likely still holding the phone to his ear, mouth agape in the reaction she had expected him to have.

"Bug? What do you need?"

"Who was dat?" She asked, climbing onto her mother's lap.

"Just Stan, Norah, why are you up?" Mary questioned, gnawing on her bottom lip.

"Well I heard you talkin'." She answered without pause.

"Mhmmm… What did you hear?" Mary could tell her eyes were wide, and her jaw was tensed, but she couldn't seem to soften her expression.

"I heard you talkin, I awweady said dat." Norah scrunched her nose.

"Okay Bug, well why don't I go put you to bed?"

The little girl yawned, and nodded.

Norah snuggled into Mary's chest, closing her eyes shut tight.

As Mary laid her daughter in her bed, she thought she had dodged a bullet. Mary flicked her night light on; the bulb gave the room an orange glow, making it easier for her to see where she was stepping.

She began to tip toe from the room, but the rustling of blankets halted her,

"Mommy?"

"What Nor?" Mary turned around to face her daughter again.

"What's dat word mean?"

"What word?" her mother asked her brow furrowing.

"P- p- Pwe, Pwegant?" she asked curiously, swiping her tangled blonde hair from her face.

Mary walked back into her daughter's room,

"Bug, come here." She ordered politely, "You heard that?" Mary wondered, holding her little girl in her lap once again.

"Is it somethin' bad?" Norah asked worriedly.

Mary was silent, staring down at the little wonder in her arms, remembering Jinx's words and feeling slightly annoyed she was about to take them into account,

"No- She pressed her daughter tight to her chest-

It's not bad." Mary whispered, "Not at all."

**I tried for a sweet Mary- Norah moment. I don't know if I did so well. There's a similar fic out there I hope you guys continue to like mine as well. **

**Hope you enjoyed this chapter, how does Tuesday sound for the next update- no later! **

**Please Review- I love to read your opinion on the chapters! How was Stan, helpful? You know, in a Stan way? Tehehehehe- Stan the Man, what would we do without him?**


	8. Chapter 8

**Update is early! Typed it up already, hope you like the chain of events… Some stuff is really gonna fly ;) Please enjoy! Next update probably won't be until Sunday! Sorry! Abigail makes her appearance! (Yeah I know you're not pleased about that!)**

_**2 weeks later…**_

Mary wiped at the corners of her mouth with a few plies of toilet paper. No matter how hard she tried, around seven every morning, she was retching over her toilet bowl. It never failed. She hopped to her feet, her heart jumping into her throat as she heard footsteps, much too large to be Norah's, coming down her hallway.

"Mary?" Mark's voice was muffled behind the bathroom door.

"Ugh… Yeah?"

"Are you all right? I mean you've been in there for twenty minutes, don't you have to be at work?"

She rolled her eyes; the last place she wanted to be was work. And she loved work, just not as much. She hadn't been to work in two weeks. She wanted to make it three, but apparently, Marshall had told Charlie, and Charlie told Delia who in turn called her and told her she needed to return to work as soon as possible.

"I'm fine, just give me a sec."

"Mary c'mon, do you think I'm stupid? You haven't been to work in two weeks, and Norah said something about your 'tummy hurting' all the time... Tell me what the hell's going on!"

"Mark, it's- it's nothing… really." She opened the door, to look the man in the eye.

"Mary, your eyes are watering- is this what Norah means?" he reached up to wipe at the corner of her bloodshot eyes, but she dodged away, "Have you been sick?"

"No Mark, I'm not sick and don't go telling Norah I'm sick either, you can't believe how long it took me to convince her that- ah, never mind."

_"So it not bad mommy?" Norah, squirmed a little in Mary's lap, but became comfortable in seconds._

_ "No Bug, it's not bad." Mary reassured, smiling in the darkness._

_ "Does it hurt? Like a boo- boo." Her mother shuddered, Jinx had no doubt, taught her that phrase, because it practically killed Mary a little inside when Norah used it._

_ "No, it's not like that. Pregnant means- it means…. Well um.. It means that in a little while I'll get bigger, and bigger and then one day… I'll go to the doctor, and er- the doctor will make me not as big." Mary shook her head. That wasn't the best explanation, not at all. She hadn't even mentioned the final product- a baby._

_ "Why big? Why you so big?"_

_ "Well I'm not big yet. But I will be. Because, there's a baby in my tummy, and it'll grow, so I will grow too."_

_ The little girl scratched her head, _

_ "In dere?" She put her tiny hand on her mother's stomach and for the first time in a long time Mary felt an explosion of joy. _

_ "Yes, in there. And you came from there too Bug." She responded, holding her daughter's small hand on her abdomen, and pinching her nose playfully with other._

_ Norah smiled, letting out a small giggle, and Mary lifted her up from her own bed, and began her way down the hallway,_

_ "Where go?" Norah asked sleepily._

_ "I don't wanna be alone tonight Bug, how about you sleep with Mommy in her bed?"_

_ The little girl smiled again, Mary never let her do that- tonight was a special._

"Don't tell me 'never mind', what does my daughter know that I don't?!" Mark argued.

"It's none of your business!"

"But it is! We share a little girl! Anything that affects her affects me!" he stepped in front of her.

"Mark! Seriously! This isn't the time!" Mary yelled, poking her head into Norah's room to see her toy in hand, staring in their direction, her eyes wide,

"Mary? What is going on?" he whispered, as she flashed the child a reassuring smile and made sure she started playing wither her toy again before closing the door,

"I'm pregnant." She sighed.

"What?" he stood back, shrugging his shoulders.

"You see, I'm sick of telling everyone! It's no one's business! Jesus, Mark, you have no idea how many times the word 'pregnant' has passed my lips in the past two days! I'm done, now everyone knows…. Well besides Brandi." Mary snorted,

"Wha?- I-

"Yeah, well, that's what everyone else has said too. Listen, just reassure Nor that I'm fine, maybe she needs both of us to say something.."

Mary opened the door to her three year olds room, and made her way over to the child surrounded by an array of blocks and legos, "Bug, Mom's gonna go to work! I love you!" she crouched down to kiss the top of her daughter's head, and then turned around to leave.

"Mary we really need to talk- Mark insisted, following her a down the hallway, to her living room.

"No we don't. I'll see you later, have her back by seven!"

"But-

"I'm leaving, lock up before you leave!" She grabbed her bag from the cushion of the couch. She heard a huff, and she could tell his arms had crossed as she left the house. She inhaled through her nose for fresh air before she settled into her mini-van, this morning her stomach wouldn't handle the familiar smell of fermenting juice boxes.

**xxx**

Mary was sitting in the parking lot, awaiting Abigail to drop Marshall off in front of the building, so she could take a less tense walk to the elevator and not have to bear a horribly awkward silence on the ride up.

She rubbed at her sides, knowing it wouldn't stop the horrible churning currently ensuing within her gut, but she was trying. It was only a few seconds she had closed her eyes, but it had been just enough time for an unknown guest to make their way into her passenger's seat.

Her hand on her glock, she took a quick glance to her right,

"_ABIGAIL?!" _

"Don't sound so surprised! Listen Mary I-

"I really need to get into the office; I'm late as it is…" Mary interrupted, taking her hand away from her gun, to place it on the handle of her door.

"You mean you're late avoiding Marshall." Abigail answered, handing her a cup of coffee.

"No thanks, I- I'm good."

"C'mon Mary, I know you love a good cup of coffee, just take it."

"Really, p- please, I can't-

She shoved her door open, throwing herself over her lap and keeping her hair away from her face, "P- please, get it- take it away!" Mary begged, coughing, hacking and gagging.

Abigail clumsily pulled the cup of caffeine away, placing it outside of the car, as well as her own.

"Are you all right?!"

"Yeah- I'm- she covered her mouth as she closed the door- Fine."

"Mary? Are you- are you-

"Please don't say it!" She halted the woman with one hand, "Yes…. Just don't say it." Mary repeated.

"Is this why Marshall and you haven't been speaking?"

"Precisely why, but just don't get into it…" she breathed, resting her head on the steering wheel, "I should really get up there."

"I'm coming with you! I'm gonna give him a piece of my mind, this is a ridiculous reason for you to be arguing with each other!" the detective squealed in her southern drawl.

"Abigail… Just don't, I can't deal with him blaming me for anything else…"

Mary gulped, thinking about the many other reasons, one of them sitting right beside her.

"Mary, this is- great- Congratulations." Abigail didn't look up from her lap, where her hands sat intertwined.

"Yeah well, thanks, but really. I really have to go. Thanks for the coffee. I'm sure I would have loved it, you know if I weren't…. you know." She opened her car door, avoiding the mess she had made. Trying to keep her expression from looking guilty, "Just lock up the van when you decide to leave." She joked, slamming the door to her mini-van.

As she came around the car, Abigail stopped,

"How far along did you say you were?" she asked curiously, her head cocked to one side.

"I didn't, I'm ten weeks, not even past my first trimester yet… Listen I-

"No, go, really it's fine, congrats again! I'm sure whatever happened between you and Marshall will get worked out…uh, have a- have a nice day."

"You too." And then Abigail walked off, her boots clicking against the pavement as she hurriedly made her way back to her own vehicle.

Mary took a deep breath, taking tiny steps toward her work place, feeling sweaty and horrible. She hadn't lied, but there was no masking the hurt Abigail had felt, no ignoring it either. Clearly, Marshall hadn't admitted what they had done, and Mary did a terrible job trying to avoid that situation. She felt like a horrible person, having sat just feet away from her for such a long period of time. And no matter how awkward that had been, Abigail still wanted to know how far along she was. She seemed perfect again. Too perfect.

**xxx**

"Abby?" Marshall called from the doorway, he furrowed his brow, running his hand through his dark hair, "Abigail?" he called again when there was no reply.

He set his keys to his truck on the table near the front door, and made his way further into his home.

"Marshall?" She rushed toward him, "I have a question for you." She was holding a glass of wine firmly in her hand. Usually, he would arrive home; she'd have a bottle of wine set out, mostly for decoration, for they only had one glass. And then they'd chat, play scrabble, discuss (in a sort of code) events that had happened around their offices and fall asleep in each other's arms on the sofa. They'd wake up maybe an hour later, limbs asleep only to laugh at themselves and move to their bedroom, where they would change and inevitably fall asleep again.

These days Marshall wondered where they would be if the events nearly three months ago hadn't occurred. Abigail would be in the early stages of her second trimester, they would have possibly known the sex of their baby by now, and Mary would still be, just his best friend. The last two weeks had been some kind of hell for the still- new -chief. He fought off the memories of his malfeasance, but without fail, would lose himself in the remorse for having said all of those awful things to Mary. He would drown in his infidelity each night he watched Abigail sleeping and his heart would ache with all of the promises he had failed to keep for her.

Most of all he would speculate about his future, he feared the moment everything came out. He was truly afraid of losing Abigail, but for some reason he couldn't seem to equate that potential pain with the kind of torment he had been feeling since he had mistakenly, let words come from his mouth that he truly didn't mean. It was torture to watch Mary, scribbling at her piled high paperwork from her absence today, rubbing at an area around her stomach, possibly crampy or sick. Her face was clearly twisted into an expression of forced, pained, focus; the pain that _he_ had caused, misery that_ he_ had afflicted upon her. He was remorseful for many things he had done, all of the things he had said, but he knew, making nice with Mary was a feat in and of itself, and it was almost impossible.

It also amazed him that he felt guiltier for having expressed untrue feelings to his best friend about their child, than he did about the affair that had produced the baby. Yes it was true he couldn't stand himself for being unfaithful to his wife, but he found it more excruciating coming home every night to Abigail, then lying about like everything had been resolved and acting as if Mary _wasn't _home with Norah, skipping her evening alcoholic beverage for the sake of their child. He had been selfish to think that all the blame should be placed on her, ashamed to believe he could let her raise their kid without his input, his assistance and his companionship. Marshall could not fathom sitting at his desk in the WITSEC office or being at home with his wife while Mary gave birth to the human being they had created _together_. Unfortunately, he would have to confess his indiscretions to Abigail, that's the only way he would be able to get Mary back.

His heart raced, and he rubbed at his neck nervously.

"And what would that be?" He asked, licking at his dry lips, bracing himself for what he was going to tell her after she asked what was on her mind. He hoped she hadn't noticed his short pause as he sorted through the other thoughts swimming around in his head.

"About how long ago did we split?"

"Uhhh- Marshall cringed, counting back, ultimately he had to rely on something other than his memory, how far along was Mary?- I don't know, say ten weeks ago, maybe. Why?" He inquired, sliding his jacket from his body and unbuttoning the first three buttons of his shirt. Marshall had his back turned to her when he heard the glass hit the floor. Abruptly, he turned around to find the wine seeping across the wooden tile, and his wife's mouth wide open, unfazed by her action,

The anger flashed in her eyes,

"You cheating bastard." She muttered still not breaking her gaze,

"Abigail, I can explain…" he stepped forward, causing _her_ to step backward,

"You slept with… MARY?!" The woman screeched her jaw clenched tight while she bared her teeth like wild animal.

"I swear, it meant- Marshall, placed his hands on his hips, understanding the last thing she wanted him to do was touch her- it meant… nothing" he quivered.

"_**Nothing!**_ _**Oh really Marshall Mann?! Nothing!?" **_

Her read hair hung at her shoulders, flipping around wildly as she continued on with her tirade,

_**"I'm assuming that's your baby she's carrying! Isn't it?" **_Abigail hollered at the top of her lungs.

Marshall could barely speak, and even if he could have answered quickly, the slap across the face wouldn't have been any less painful, any less enraged when he responded,

"Yes."

**Yep. It's all out in the open now! Hope you enjoyed! **

**Love to hear what you think! Please review!**


	9. Chapter 9

_**Okay Friends! Here's the next chapter! Hope you enjoy and thanks sooo much for those of you who have read, reviewed and alerted!**_

_** Wednesday for the next chapter sound good?**_

"I would like to work things out." He rasped, after silently observing her actions the long while after she had made the connection. The connection, that probably horrified her the most,

"Do you, really? You've said that before, did you screw your partner to figure that out _this time_ too?" She screamed

It had been hours, he had given her a multitude of time to cool down and to process. He shouldn't have brought it up again. He should have just left when she had asked him to all of those hours ago. He should have spent the night at the office, but he wanted so badly to fix what he had done.

"I understand you're hurt Abby, I'm sorry.."

"You've been lying to me, you were unfaithful and you kept that a secret, I saw Mary, and she kept it a secret too and you deserved for this unforgivable thing to be known, I wish she would have told me, it could have spared you the humiliation of having to watch me realize what the hell is going on!- she stopped, settling into an arm chair in their living room and becoming very solemn- You couldn't have possibly convinced yourself that what you did meant nothing! I'm the one who wishes that it had been nothing and I can't even lie to myself well enough to even fathom that you're telling the truth!" She was winded, still very upset, and practically blue in the face.

"If there's anything I can do to make it up to you…"

"Marshall, this isn't like you've missed date night, or come home from work late, you _slept _with your best friend! There is _no _way you can make this up to me…. NO WAY!" she shot up from the chair she had been sitting in, "You know, I should be more angry about the whole 'sex with your former partner' thing- she held her head in her left hand, sighing understandably dramatically- the thing that really gets me is… she's having your baby." Her voice shook as if she was finally; completely understanding the situation and a few tears fell from the corner of both of her caramel colored eyes.

He couldn't speak, nor did he have any right to defend his infidelity. All she said was true. He was guilty on all counts, he had hurt the two most important ladies in his life past the point of no return; Marshall tried to feel sorry for himself, but he couldn't sink that low, he looked down at the woman in front of him, ready for another scolding, or perhaps another smack to his still stinging face. He wasn't expecting what she said next,

"What really makes me angry, what really pushes me over the edge, is the fact that you called it _nothing. _Is that really what you thought it was… nothing? That baby, that baby is yours… That is your responsibility and you can't hide from that! And if you do, I don't know if I'll ever be able to respect you or even look at you again! Was it nothing when _I_ was pregnant? Did that mean _nothing _to you too Marshall Mann?" Abigail raged, barely able to stand herself, how could she be sticking up for her husband's mistress?

"I don't want to be a father to a child that's not yours and ruin our relationship. I want this to work."

"That can't possibly be true. I know that losing our baby hurt you too; I know that all too well. You can't stand up, right here in front of me and tell me that the child you have fathered with Mary isn't on your mind night and day, you can't tell me it hasn't been the only thing you've thought of." Abigail was very close, he could feel her angry breath on his neck, and he had to take a step back, to look at the seething, exhausted detective in front of him. She probably felt a similar pain, if not worse, of what Mary was feeling.

She was right, Marshall wasn't fooling himself anymore. Mary had been on his brain since that very night that caused all of this heartache, she had been the only thing on his mind. And the baby, he had been punishing himself for days about what he had said, all of those hurtful things that he possibly couldn't have meant. He had been trying to save himself from this exact moment, he was denying himself the right to fatherhood to spare Abigail from the horrific emotional stress this situation would put on her. Marshall knew that once Abigail knew, that 'get out of jail free' card Mary had offered was no longer an option, (not that it had been when it was proposed).

"I love you." He countered, his tears ready to make there descent down his cheeks too.

"I love you too. That doesn't change what has happened, that doesn't make the consequences disappear. The last thing I want to do is leave-

"Then don't." Marshall half begged, half demanded, "Don't leave me again."

Abigail could have _easily_ left again, she had so many good reasons to pack up her things and never return, but something tugged at her heart, keeping her cemented to the wood floor in front of him. She was completely aware; he wouldn't have been nearly as upset about all of this if he had Mary to fall back on, unfortunately, their unknown feud was coming to light in her mind. It all made sense.

"I'm going to move my things to the guest room-

"I will. I'll move to the guest room, you stay, the beds more comfortable…" He could have kicked himself. What a pathetic excuse for his chivalry.

"You can't let her raise your kid by herself, don't go from the only man she's ever trusted to just another bastard Marshall. Even_ I_ don't want that. I just wish I knew what happened to you two, when did friendship stop being enough, what drove you apart?"

The question had been rhetorical, he knew that. She was well on her way to bed when he couldn't help but snap back,

"_You _drove us apart." He muttered regretting the accusatory statement as he was grabbing his coat from the very same place he had thrown it last night. His head was feeling heavy with exhaustion. Marshall grabbed his keys from the table near the door, repeating the previous evening in reverse, getting into his car. Sleep would come more easily in the dead silence of the WITSEC office on a Sunday morning, if the events of his unsavory decisions didn't continue to haunt him.

xxx

"Bug, bring Riley and go play in your room, we grown-ups have to talk!" Mary ordered, patting the too small little girls on their tiny backs to get them to run along quicker. She always hated using that term, 'grow-ups', it was mostly condescending. She remembered the use of it when she was a small child always sent her into a private, subconscious temper tantrum. Why she had just chosen to use it at that very moment she was unsure. She hadn't been herself lately she supposed.

Brandi took a seat on a stool to sip at a glass of water she had obtained from the tap, her elbows rested on the counter.

"So Mary, have you brought me here to tell me you're pregnant?" she asked playfully.

Mary's jaw dropped,

"Did mom tell you?" she questioned, feeling the rage beginning to bubble up inside of her, what a Jinxy thing to pull, she thought.

It would have been a film-worthy spit take; the way the water spurted from her little sister's mouth in her direction was too perfect. The mixture of H2O and saliva dripped from the end of the older sibling's nose.

"SERIOUSLY? I was_ joking_!" Brandi cried, her shrill, raspy screams muffled by the napkin she was wiping her mouth with.

Mary rubbed her face with the collar of her shirt, her mouth clenched shut tightly, as not to scream at the blonde across from her.

"I wish it was a joke…" she replied, turning to grab a glass from the cabinet.

"Mary, this is great! Is it Mark's?" Brandi wiggled in her seat like a small child at story time.

"No! And don't say Raph either- don't even _look _down that road." Mary quipped.

"Stan?"

Mary looked at her sister, doing her best not to projectile vomit on her, she felt the eggs Norah had (force) fed her this morning crawling up her esophagus at the very thought.

"Wrong again." She gulped, sending the little breakfast she had consumed back to her stomach.

Mary watched as her sister put the pieces together, shaking her head a few times and then really thinking about it, Brandi finally came to a final conclusion, taking several more minutes to really be sure, she looked up from her half full glass to her sister,

"MARSHALL?" She screamed, covering her mouth, surprised how loud she had yelled.

"Bingo."

xxx

Norah had been asleep for maybe fifteen minutes, tired from hours of play with her little cousin. Brandi had left, Riley asleep in her arms, she assumed, Riley was now as snug in her bed as her own daughter was.

Mary settled onto her couch, shut off the annoying cartoon playing and covered herself with a light blanket. Sleeping on the couch was a pass- time for her; she figured she should get her fix before her back began to ache to no end. The only thing about the living room was its history. Too many things had happened in this space, Norah had taken her first steps on the very floor in front of her, Brandi's water had broken just feet away, Mark had taken up residence on this exact sofa a few nights before Norah's birth and finally, this was the scene where she first acted on the feelings she felt for Marshall. This was also the same place she had consumed countless bottles of cheap, red wine, attempting to calm her screaming memories. Memories of James, memories of the old Jinx, passed out, wasted on the floor, that scary day Norah was born. All of it made her shudder.

Very few things made her cry. When Raph left, when her father had died in her arms and when Marshall had wrote her off as just another Inspector, who he just so happened to cheat on his wife with. It felt like she had gone from his best friend to a fling, a fling resulting in a lifetime of more memories.

No one ever came to visit, just him- now she knew any guest ringing her doorbell wouldn't be Marshall anymore. Jinx was home, she was sure. Brandi wouldn't have returned, knowing she had squeezed all of the information she could from her. The sound of the chiming noise travelling through her ear drums not only startled her, but sent a pang of fear through her heart. She didn't want Norah to wake up, and that sound was just enough to disturb the over-tired little girl snoozing in her bedroom.

"Hold on a moment!" Mary whispered as loud as she saw fit for whoever was beckoning her from behind her front door. Out of habit, her glock was shoved in her pants, and covered by her blouse.

She unlocked the dead bolt, and peaked outside.

She had seen this one person enough for a lifetime in the past couple of days alone. She didn't need to see this particular face staring back at her. It was the first time Abigail had shown up on her door step without the grinning, familiar face of Marshall standing behind her.

"Can I help you with something?" Mary asked, not bothering to completely open her door.

"I think we need to talk." Her voice was cold and pretentious.

"I can't think of anything we'd need to discuss." She retorted

"I _know_ what happened." Her eyes were accusatory and her brow was furrowed in an expression of apprehension.

Mary's heart nearly burst, her eyes burnt with tears, but she couldn't let this woman see her cry. She _knew_, he had_ told_ her, the jig was up. She couldn't pretend to be guilt free and innocent anymore. She gulped, suddenly feeling warm; she pulled the hair tie from her wrist and threw her hair up, not caring how messy it was. She pulled the door completely open, hesitant to invite her in.

Abigail had her arms crossed over a wrinkled t-shirt and tight pair of jeans, a switch from her usual, dainty, pants suit. The dark circles under her eyes were prominent, and Mary knew she had—had no sleep the previous night. It gave her too much of an idea of when the woman had found out about what she came here to talk about.

"Did he tell you?" she frowned, stepping aside,

The volume of her voice raised slightly, enough to make Mary cringe,

"I'm not stupid, I put two and two together Inspector!"

"Can you just bring your voice down, my daughter is sleeping and I don't think it would be appropriate if she heard any of this conversation." Mary replied coldly.

Abigail blushed, apologetically or angrily she couldn't tell, but her voice did calm down,

"Why did you do it Mary?" she quivered.

Mary thought for a moment,

"After you left, he was so upset- she shuddered- and he came to me. I never thought in a million years, _this _would happen… He fell asleep, in my lap and when he woke up, I don't know. He just looked so lost, he wanted to leave… I should have let him." Mary said sadly.

She honestly wasn't sure if she was sorry, it had been her idea- for him to stay- both of their ideas to- well…

"I wasn't planning on leaving forever." Abigail looked down in shame. Her nose wrinkled, and she bit her lip.

"It must have felt that way, because he told me you packed your things. He was going to go home to an empty house. I couldn't let him…" Mary repeated the same thing over in different words.

"I understand he's been your best friend-

"My only friend- Mary added- and you took him away from me." That last part had slipped, something changed in the auburn haired woman.

"So what you're saying is, this is all my fault, your affair, the baby.."

"The baby is nobody's _fault_; you can't resent my unborn child because you can't have your own anymore!" Mary yelled, louder than she intended. Abigail stepped back. She hadn't meant to holler the last hurtful thing. She understood how much that miscarriage had hurt Detective Chaffee, that's what had brought this all on.

"That was certainly a low blow Inspector. I came here to ask you what your plan was… How you intended to take care of this…" She was nearly whispering, just loud enough for Mary to catch her every word.

"What do you mean, _take care of this_?" she asked, her eyes narrowing.

"Are you keeping it? Are you putting it-

"I don't think this is any of your business!"

"But it is! You conceived that child with my husband! _The man I love_!" The last sentence was cold, stung Mary deep down, as if she were the only one allowed to love him, as if she had as much history with the Marshal she had married only three years ago. It sent her heart pounding, all of her muscles tensed up and the statement had made her eyes narrow in rage.

"_**I love him too!"**_ Mary bellowed across the room, into the face of the angry Detective.

It was true. She did. She just never expected to say it- for the first time- to his wife.

_**OH MAN! THINGS JUST GOT REAL! What will Law Enforcement Barbie have to say about this? Better yet, what will Mary have to say about her little slip up? **_

_** Please Review and tell me your thoughts! **_


	10. Chapter 10

**Thanks to obsessedwithstabler, this has been revised and put out there for the grammar Nazis trolling through! **

**Hope you enjoy! OOC- I know. They wouldn't be this dramatic. **

She had convinced herself that loving Marshall was just a part of her life, like Norah, like Mark had become, but she never had intended to admit it.

Something sparked in Abigail's eyes and for a moment, Mary expected she would draw her gun from the holster on her hip, but nothing of the sort happened. The red head took to glaring at the marshal for several seconds, her mouth opening and closing as if she wanted to say some things, but chose not to. Mary would have loved to know what had been going through her head at that particular time; the long interval it took for Abigail to comprehend the words that had just come from Mary's mouth was long and excruciating. Quite frankly, Mary would have preferred to have been sitting down, at least she wouldn't have had to keep shifting her weight awkwardly from side to side to get comfortable. Then again, there probably was no possible way this moment could be _comfortable_.

Large tears began their descent down the detective's face and she didn't even bother to wipe them away.

"Just g-give me a f-few minutes t-to think about this, okay?" she whimpered, her lower lip trembling.

Mary shook her head, gulping at a familiar lump in her throat, similar to the one that had lodged itself in her airway that night Marshall and Abigail had unofficially split.

Detective Chaffee ran her fingers through her dark, nearly scarlet locks. She paced back and forth from the living room to the kitchen and back more than a few times.

Mary's stomach did flips as she watched the detective pace back and forth, but she swallowed hard and continued gnawing on the inside of her cheek. She didn't want to fall apart like Abigail had already done. She also didn't want to give in to the overwhelming urge to just run, to take Norah and leave Albuquerque, invent her own makeshift WITSEC. That really wouldn't solve a damn thing. For once, her feet were planted to the floor, and she would weather the raging storm, no matter how hellish life felt in that agonizing moment.

"H-He's my h-husband…" she began, as if Mary wasn't totally aware of that. "And we're married…"

"Now you're just stating the obvious." Mary croaked. "We're not getting anywhere by you staining my carpet with your tears and making me feel guilty for something I can't change."

"But can't you see? You _can_ change this. We were happy!"

"Yeah, maybe you were for the first few years, but then you bailed! You just up and left him when things got tough! You packed up your crap and you took off while he was at work telling me how much he just wanted everything to be okay again. While he was pouring his heart out to me, you were probably shoving your suitcase in your backseat to hit the highway! Don't tell me this is exclusively my fault, or Marshall's fault, when you most definitely can share some of this blame!" Mary was seething with rage, her head throbbed, and she could feel her blood boiling and pumping through her veins.

"You have no idea what that felt like! Losing a child is like losing a part of yourself!"

"Yeah, and you act like it was only you that was hurt by it all. You wouldn't give Marshall the time of day, let alone a second to tell you how _he_ felt about it all. _You_ didn't even give him a chance. That's why he came to me, because_ I_ always give him a chance." Mary rolled her eyes. "I just didn't give him that chance when I _should _have" she huffed, plopping down on her arm chair. "I did _you _wrong, _him_ wrong, but I can't make it better, _this _doesn't make it any better." She sighed. "I don't understand what you want me to do."

It was ludicrous for her to want this to be the last of it, for this to be the final gospel of Detective Abigail Chaffee-Mann. Even the most hopeful couldn't imagine that being so.

"Well if anything, you have to talk to him. Mary, none of us can work things out if you two don't. I don't care how pissed off you are, that's his baby too."

"You think I forgot that?" Mary whispered softly.

Abigail stood to leave. Slowly she made her way over to the front door, but before she touched the doorknob, she turned to face Mary, "You know, if you tell him what you've told me, there's no doubt in my mind he'll choose you." Her large eyes filled with fresh tears as she admitted out loud to the last woman she wanted to admit to, the last thing she wanted to admit. "He already chose you."

Mary bit her lip. Abigail may not have been right about a few things this evening, but it was true Marshall and her most definitely had to have a chat.

xxx

The WITSEC office was lonely, empty and dark until he switched on the light to his private office. Like a teenager he sat as his desk fumbling with his iPhone, attempting to find the right words to send to his partner- no, he was wrong there, she was his_ former_ partner. What began as a four page long, rambling mess of jumbled nothingness ended with, _As your best friend- and no matter what you say I am _still___your best friend, I know you're not the biggest fan of talking, but I believe that's precisely what needs to be done. I'm at the office if you're in the mood for some nostalgia- or in my case a mound of paper work. Please consider._

He couldn't believe how intimidating the Send button had become in those few short seconds after his fingers had stopped gliding across the touch screen. Marshall swallowed hard, and finally he tapped it gently.

Why he had thought this location would be a permanent sanctuary or personal hiding place, he had no idea. It was the first place anyone who knew even a shred about Marshall Mann would look. A short fifteen minutes later his wife poked her head into his office, hushing him as she entered and slowly peeled off her jacket.

When she pulled him into that embrace he knew he was in for it. Without warning she began ripping off his clothes, throwing them to the floor.

Her mouth was almost inside of his, her tongue, warm and probing. There were no words. Her hands trailed down his spine, but he no longer melted under her touch. When Abigail ran her fingertips along his stomach, he shuddered. He felt no urges to drag his own large paws through her long locks- nothing. That old spark wasn't there. It had faded with time and now as he faced the reality of Mary carrying his child, it had vanished completely. Still he feared leaving. He was afraid to walk out of that door, to betray her the way she had already betrayed him. He may have bedded the one woman he supposedly was not indebted to- a sin even Mary's conscience couldn't bear, but he would not throw his belongings in a suitcase and leave her alone. He hadn't been pushed that far yet.

They lay there afterward on the carpeting of his office floor. His boxers were sticking to his thighs with sweat, his chest inflated with oxygen and deflated just as quickly. He wasn't exactly sure what he was feeling, but he was positive it wasn't the same way he would have felt only four months ago when everything was... good. He recounted in his head the last time he and his wife had shared a moment like this. It had been when their child was conceived, but after she had lost the baby, any urges he had were put on a back burner.

It was slowly becoming awkward lying there, seemingly far away from each other after having done what they just did. His knobby elbows dug into the all but comfortable ground of his office as he pushed himself up into a sitting position. Perhaps Abigail had figured spontaneity would rekindle the flame that had lost been a short time ago? Or perhaps it was just her one, last, desperate attempt at getting his attention. Her final plea for his unconditional love, a love that would be no longer distracted by the affair between him and his best friend.

If so, it was unfortunate she had to have been proven a failure so quickly.

xxx

Insanity. That is the only possible explanation for why she was stepping out of this elevator, and the only plausible reason she had dropped Norah off with the next available adult she knew with a spare moment.

Her heart raced, and the perspiration trickled down her forehead as she crept toward her desk to set her things down. She stood outside, giving herself a chance to turn back if she felt the urge to make a break for it. The blinds were down in Marshall's office; he was either feverishly scribbling at his paperwork or sleeping off whatever hell had broken loose at his place the previous night.

She turned the handle, letting herself in. As she closed the door behind her the mixture of a female and male voice shouting in tandem anger pierced her ear drums, and once again the contents of her stomach almost fell from her mouth. Once she turned around, the source of the commotion was clear, but the reason for her anger was anything but.

"What in the holy _hell_?" Mary screamed, covering her face with her hands.

Marshall didn't bother to grab his garments, only his wife's articles of clothing. Abigail was more exposed than Mary probably appreciated. He stood up, his handsome face scarlet with embarrassment.

"Mary, I-"

"Don't make excuses- none!" She pressed the heel of her hand to her forehead, and the other instinctively went to her lower belly. "I cannot _believe_ this is happening!"

Her words were like daggers in his heart and he found himself apologizing immediately.

"Mary, please, this isn't what it looks like!" he pleaded, unsure of why having had a sexual encounter with the woman he was married to was such a big deal. Until he realized, he had beckoned her here. That text message was foggy in his mind after the explosion of sexual aftermath shook his noggin, but it came back to him slowly. "Mare, I didn't mean..." He had to bow his head in shame, how could he have been such a dick?

"You mean you didn't _intend_ to bang your fucking wife at the same goddamn time you asked me here to talk? Is_ that_ what you didn't mean? Because it's a little too late for that now, isn't it? Christ Marshall!"Mary began to exit the room, but turned back. **"**To believe I fell for that happy ending shit! That total bullshit- I fell for it. You got me. Why would I even believe for a second, or even a _millisecond_ that you would just all of a sudden take me for more than just your fling or your goddamn _mistress_?" She spat the word out with venom. "How could I even fool myself..." She was hysterical at this point, blinded by her own tears, and screaming at the top of her lungs. "Well, whenever you're getting fucking sentimental and decide to give two shits about what actually happened ,take a look at this!"She pulled out a perfectly intact sonogram from her back pocket, and with a flick of her wrist sent it to the ground. "There's your first and_ last_ picture of your kid! I'll have Delia bring me my things tomorrow. It was real nice knowing you Marshall."** S**he stopped for a second after the cold utterance, wiping the tears from her face. "Enjoy your life, Abigail."** S**he nodded toward the detective. "You can have him. I don't want..." She turned to Marshall once more, her expression a mix of agony and betrayal. "...or need that bastard."

"Mary, wait!" But the marshal had already left the office; her abundance of emotions trailing along with her. He stood there in disbelief. Abigail was wide eyed and just as speechless as he was.

"Marshall, maybe it's for the best..."

"The _best_?" Now he was yelling, matching the level of hysteria Mary had reached just seconds prior. "Before you came along, she was all I had here in Albuquerque, everything, she was my _everything!_ I love you Abigail, but it's not hard to see you've had it out for Mary from the start! Guess what? Your biggest fear has come true; I am in love with my partner! And whatever the hell you told her today,_ whatever_ it was, you had to have known it was just gonna send us crashing and burning into the ground! This personal vendetta has reached its end point; I sure hope you're happy."He slid on his jeans, unable to comprehend his next move. It wouldn't be to see Mary; clearly that opportunity had passed. He would be alone now. Abigail certainly wouldn't remain his wife after all of this.

"She'll come back, she always does. But me, I think I'm- I _know _I'm done."

With his jeans loosely on his legs, his belt unbuckled and only his undershirt on, he went to find a bar. Marshall was never one to drown his sorrows in alcohol, but at this moment he was in no mood to think about the dangers of pouring toxins down his throat. After all, in just one day he had lost both his best friend and his wife.

xxx

"Stan, do you know of any good hotels in D.C.?" Mary was sniffling, having only returned home ten minutes ago. It was just the right amount of time to compose herself long enough to speak with her former chief.

"Why do you ask, Inspector?" Stan's suspicion was a little too obvious over the phone.

"I'll explain when I see you, but Norah and I need a little break from Albuquerque. Give me the name of a place close to you so we can pay you a visit," she insisted, switching ears so she could fiddle with her computer at the same time.

"Have you been crying?" Stan got noticeably quieter. Mary was certain he was at work surrounded my piles of papers and annoying D.C cops, but she couldn't think straight at that precise moment.

"No." What a terrible lie. Even Stan could tell she had just lied to him.

"Don't you lie to me Mary!" His tone was paternal. Unlike his normal, administrative demands, it was worry that filled his words instead of determined delegation.

"Don't you lie to me Mary_!" he replied sternly to the little girl dragging her foot across the rocks._

"I'm not, Daddy_." she insisted. Her blonde hair was messy, her clothes were dirty and her shoes were untied._

"What did I tell you about fibbing, partner_?" he asked, crouching down so that he was eye to eye with his little girl. She was quiet, until she looked up to see the flickering anger in his eyes_

"It's bad, and I shouldn't do it._"_

"Yep, so try again. And this time don't fib_!" he replied softly._

_The six year old huffed, her expression twisted into a full blown pout, and she began again…_

"Yeah I was, but that's beside the point. Just give me a name of a goddamn hotel. I'll even fly Lia down with me!" she argued.

"First off, I feel like the reason you are upset is_ precisely_ the point." He paused. "And second, Lia has been living here for months!" He was silent for another second. "I'll tell you right now, I don't approve of you running away from Marshall, but I understand if you need some time to think. There's a Holiday Inn about ten miles from my house. I'll send you the address and you can go from there."

"Thanks Stan, I'll see you soon." She began to take the phone from her ear, but she realized he was still talking,

"Inspector?"

"Mhmm?"

"Don't think we won't be sitting down to talk about this," he said firmly, ending the call himself.

Mary sighed, disconnecting from the dead line and dialing Mark's number.

"Hey, would you mind if I took Norah on a little… _vacation_?"

**Please tell me what you thought! But please, constructive criticism is supposed to be light-hearted! I love those of you who have been regular reviewers! You're all awesome!**

**Review!**


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11 My Friends! Thanks to obsessedwithstabler for revising!**

**Stuff Happens…. That's my to you hint for the events that take place.**

**Next chapter Wednesday?**

Mary waited for her former Chief in front of one of the buildings in D.C., her thumbs hanging from her belt loops. She left Norah with Lia who had assured her there would be no dance lessons. That was the only condition Mary had.

"Stan, I appreciate you taking time out of your work day to see me." Mary looked at the bald headed man, who was beaming in one of his beige suits.

"Don't sweat it, Mary! What did you think? I'd just leave and forget about my old Inspectors? I thought you knew me better than that," he teased, holding Mary in a short, warm embrace.

"I really screwed up, Stan," she whispered before he let go.

"Okay, Mary, come on up to my office. We can talk about it." He grabbed her arm and led her into the building. It was similar to the Sunshine, but the elevator was fancier. "If anyone asks, you're here on official business."

"I figured that much after you asked me to bring my badge." She smirked. "Although, I do feel kinda naked without my glock on my hip," Mary joked.

"No one will question you because you're weaponless Inspector. No need to feel insecure about your missing gun. You're a far better marshal than a few of the wise guys they got working for me here, I have to admit. This is nothing like the Sunshine Building." He was light, his hands in his pockets and a smile on his face. Mary knew he spent the entire ride up wondering what the hell had happened back in Albuquerque and she almost spilled her guts before they could get to their destination. "Right this way," he beckoned.

Mary followed him through a pair of doors, just like the doors back home. She was surprised to see his key card was similar as well. "What?" she asked. "Even D.C. can't afford some fancier plastic?" She gestured to his I.D. Her tooling was weak and she knew Stan was only humoring her when he chuckled.

He opened the door to a private office, revealing a newly carpeted work space with what Mary thought was a mahogany desk. Her eyebrows rose, "Huh. So this is where all the WITSEC funding is going." She ran her hand along the seam of a leather chair.

"Ah, well. Take a seat, Inspector."

Stan took a seat behind his desk, leaning on his elbows to get comfortable. "Now, tell me, Mary, what happened?" His tone was low and soothing. Worry flickered in his eyes.

"Well, where do you want me to start? At the beginning where Marshall and I went down on each other in my living room after Abby had left him? Or the part where I told him-" She stopped to take a deep breath. _It is too early in this conversation for tears_, she thought. "Where I told him I didn't need him anymore?"

Stan was silent for a moment as he absorbed the information his former inspector had blurted out. Finally he sighed.

"I wasn't aware that Detective Chaffee had left. I don't understand then, Mary, why is this, er- situation such a big deal?"

"Because she came back. She left him a month after they lost the baby and then she just showed up again…" She wiped at her eyes. She didn't want to cry anymore.

"Oh. I see, and was this before Marshall knew you were- you know?"

Mary rolled her eyes. Stan would never get past his childish fear of pregnant women.

"Yes. Of course. We hadn't discussed what we had done in weeks. I guess we both figured we'd just keep it to ourselves, until…"

"The thing," he added, still avoiding the word altogether.

"I didn't expect him to get so upset. I didn't expect him to react the way he did." She pulled at her cuticles. "That's when it started.."

"What started?" Stan asked, trying his best to maintain eye contact with the melancholy woman. He wasn't much for an emotional situation which Mary found to be funny, considering WITSEC was nothing but dramatic.

"The fighting…. We have never fought as much in ten years as we have in the past week. I said some things that I shouldn't have said. You see, we were trying to work things out. And then Abigail found out about everything, the next thing I know I walk in on him screwing her in his office and I'm telling him he'll never see his kid!" She sighed, chewing on her bottom lip to stop it from quivering. Eventually she continued. "I- I overreacted Stan. Norah's wondering why the hell we can't go back home and I'm too afraid…"

"Afraid of what? _Marshall_? You know you can't stop him from seeing his baby, from being a dad. He'll come to you, no matter where you are. I can understand why you'd be upset about the whole, er,_ screwing_ thing, but-"

"She's his wife, I get _that_. Stan, I knew you wouldn't understand."

"Mary, you were my inspector for a decade. Marshall, even longer! I've known, from the moment you two partnered up, this wasn't go to be a normal pair. Nor was it going to be easy for you two. C'mon, maybe I don't understand the whole Abigail thing to the tee, but I do know that Marshall has loved you for as long as I came remember. Mary he'd take a bullet for you!" He walked around his desk, and sat on the arm of her chair. "If I had to put money on a person who could sort out a mess like this, it would be you. I mean, you're Mary Shannon for crying out loud!"

"Th- thanks Stan. I just… don't know what to do… I overreacted I know that, but I can't just take all of it back. I can't just erase what I've done…" Of all people, she never believed she would ever be crying to her former Chief. She never thought he could handle it.

"You need time. Everybody needs a break from life once and a while." He paused, rubbing her back in the most awkward of ways. " How far along _are _you?" It was as if the question was an afterthought. Honestly, Mary couldn't believe he made himself say it.

"Ten weeks." She sniffed.

"Then take a few weeks. Once you're heading into your second trimester you'll have your head straight and it won't be too dangerous for the baby to fly back to Albuquerque. Everything will start getting real. The baby will start looking like a baby and not some sea monkey thing and you'll have a new perspective."

"Wow Stan, what's up with the baby knowledge?" she joked. "Honestly, it's a little creepy." Her voice was shaky and weak, but yet again he gave her a pitying chuckle.

\

"I'm already about halfway through _What to Expect When You're Expecting_." He cleared his throat as he rubbed at his neck.

"Jesus Stanley, I hope not on my account." Her eyebrows rose as she stared at the man in disbelief.

"Oh no, no, no! Lia and I, we're kinda…" he blushed, fiddling with his own hands.

"Wow! I didn't even know you were married." Mary furrowed her brow, then searched for the wedding ring on his finger, but found none. She always figured he came from an old fashioned background, but she must have been wrong.

"We have our own baby drama up here in Washington." He smiled meekly.

"Congratulations! Why didn't you tell us?" She couldn't believe she was disappointed that he hadn't told her. She told him _her_ dirty little secret.

"Well, you know… Lia wanted to wait.. That whole old wives tale that it's bad luck... She takes that stuff real serious..." He shifted uncomfortably.

"God, I feel like such a douche." She wiped her hair from her face. "Gee, I'm sorry…"

"Ehh, well, don't be. We're ecstatic." He moved back to his office chair, reclining slightly.

"You know what you're having?" It just felt good to get the attention off of her. The redirection of the topic was a nice change.

"Nah, we're waiting. 'Let it be a surprise!' she begged. Lia just calls the kid 'Our little Stan', until I talk her into finding out at least..." Now he was grinning.

"Damn, now I kinda feel bad for sticking her with Norah. She can be a little handful..." She snickered, wondering if her daughter was bombarding the poor dance instructor with little questions, the same way she did to her. "I should probably go relieve her, huh?"

Stan chuckled again, but this time it wasn't forced.

"I'm sure Lia enjoys the time. But don't expect to just pick her up and go. She's been so excited to see you… Lia, that is..." he added as if she would think he was talking about her own daughter.

Mary rolled her eyes. The last thing she wanted was someone chatting her ear off, but she supposed she had no choice. Free babysitting was free babysitting; she could afford a few minutes to hang around for some coffee. No, coffee tasted like piss these days, herbal tea would have to do. Surely the woman would have some of that lying around… She sighed.

"Thanks again Stan. Call me if you find me a temporary gig somewhere around this hellhole." Mary teased.

"Will do, Inspector!" he replied, meeting her for another friendly embrace before he led her back out to the elevator. "See you later, Mary," he called as the doors closed and she hit the button to the first floor.

"Oh, Stan…" she mumbled as he turned to return to his work.

xxx

_**Three Days Later:**_

_E-mail received at 9:30 P.M._

_From: Marshall Mann MarshalMann _

_To: Mary Shannon MarshalShannon _

_Subject: Concerned_

_Mary,_

_I understand your reasons for ignoring my phone calls and many text messages filled with my pleas. But I also know that you cannot delete __any __emails in your inbox without peeking at them beforehand. I realize that this feeble attempt to reach you is pathetic. I deserve no sympathy and am not searching for any._

_I have done you wrong, and I am well aware of that, Mary. I want you to realize you are always on my mind, as well as our unborn child. You are in D.C. hiding out with Stan and Lia. It does not take a genius to figure that out. Send Stan my regards. I thought to run off there myself, but you jumped on it before I had a chance._

_You are missed here in the office. Delia asks about you every day and I have refrained from telling her your whereabouts. I assume you've been ignoring her calls as well. Mark has even contacted me, as well as Brandi asking me the reasons for your departure. I have told them nothing. I like to think of myself as a proud man, and unfortunately I come off badly in this situation. And yes, before the question pops into your head, I know they know you are pregnant._

_Abigail has left. She moved out only yesterday, escaping back to Texas to her immediate family. I am sure they believe me to be as much of a bastard as you do. I am not looking for an apology; it's obvious I have hurt you._

_Please understand, you have meant everything to me for ten years, none of which I would want to take back... That will never change. I would only feel right if we discussed the rest in person._

_I love you, Mary, deeply and hope one day you can find the strength to forgive me, even though my acts have been unforgivable._

_Marshall_

She looked at the e-mail a few times, shaking her head only once before slamming her fist to the table. Norah rolled around in her bed, kicking the blankets from her body.

Mary recoiled and then hopped up from the uncomfortable seat. She grabbed the covers from the floor and spread them atop her little girl. She looked over her shoulder at the e-mail again.

"Christ Marshall." She whispered.

Mary took her seat again, staring at the keyboard of her computer once more.

_Marshall-_

She gazed a few more moments at the screen, but was interrupted. She clicked her inbox.

_E-mail received at 11:34 P.M._

_From: Marshall Mann MarshalMann _

_To: Mary Shannon MarshalShannon _

_Subject: Please respond._

_Mary,_

_All I want is to have a few words. That's all, I beg of you._

_I feel so…empty._

_Always,_

_Marshall_

She bit her lip and took a deep breath.

Oh, how she wanted to forgive him, how she wanted to fly back to Albuquerque and just let everything fall into place again. But she knew it wouldn't work that way.

Her phone screamed in the silence of hotel room, causing Norah to stir a little more. The number on the caller ID wasn't one she recognized.

"Hello?" she called quietly into the phone. She just prayed it wasn't Marshall pulling a stunt, calling from somewhere.

"Mary?"

The familiar voice was slightly panicky,

"Lia?" She was confused. Aside from Lia acting as a current, occasional babysitter they had never really talked.

"St- Stan…"

"What? What about Stan?"

"Stanley, he was in an accident and I don't have an- anyone…" She was sobbing now, so much so. Mary hadn't any clue how to handle it.

"Okay, I'll be there in a few. Is there any word on how he is?"

"We don't know... He's just not... I don't know Mary!"

"You just hang on tight. I'm coming."

Mary rushed around the room for the next few minutes, grabbing anything she could. She threw a few cereal bars and a change of clothes for Norah in her bag. Gently, she grabbed the little girl from her bed, wrapping the blankets around her to keep her warm. Automatically, she snuggled into her mother's chest, unperturbed by the adventure. Mary took out her cell phone once Norah was settled.

She had to call Marshall.

**What will happen next? I don't know. **

**Review and tell me your thoughts!**

**Check out the story I co-wrote with obsessedwithstabler called Let It Burn! **


	12. Chapter 12

**Here ya go Friends! Thanks yet again to obsessedwithstabler! **

**Enjoy! **

**Next chapter Sunday?**

"Lia? Lia what happened?" Mary asked as she set Norah down on a double seated chair.

"Mary, h-he was in some sort of ch-chase and they wo-won't tell me how h-he is!" Her face was red and puffy.

"Have you been crying this entire time?" Mary questioned, leading the woman to a chair, a few spots away from her daughter, "You need to calm down, I mean this can't be good for the baby," she warned. After a long pause, filled with only the sound of Lia's sobs, Mary sighed. "You just sit tight. I'll see if I can figure something out." Her face was set in grim determination, and her hand resting on her belt, the other atop her badge. She caressed the ridges of the inscriptions with her fingertips. Mary walked up to the nurse's desk. "Listen, I need the current condition of Stan McQueen."

"I'm sorry, we've already told his fiancé everything we know."

"You expect me to believe that?"

"Again, we apologize for any inconvenience," the woman snapped back.

"Listen." Mary slammed her badge on the table. "This is official business. My partner will be here in a few hours and this will turn into a full blown investigation!" She was yelling now, "So tell me the condition of or you'll have the federal government hounding you faster than you can fucking blink!" Mary slid her badge from the desk and clipped back onto her jeans.

"I'll see what I can do," she mumbled, rushing away.

Marshall would have most likely handled that more gracefully, but he wasn't here.

Not yet.

IPSIPSIPSIPSIPS

_I'm sorry I didn't catch your call, please leave me a message and I'll get back to you as soon as possible._

"Marshall, Stan got his brain scrambled in some sort of accident. P.S. this doesn't mean a goddamn thing; I just figured you might want to know. I assume as soon as you hear this you're booking a flight to D.C. Just don't come near me."

She shuddered. She had sounded childish, but that was all she could think to say.

Mary tapped her foot as she awaited someone to update her at the doors of the O.R. Someone poked her shoulder. Mary turned around on one heel, her hand was on her badge again. God save anyone who told her to move.

"Excuse me, Mr. McQueen is in surgery. There appears to be some internal bleeding caused by the impact." The nurse forced a smile.

"Any word on his condition?" She was tempted to burst into to tears and beg her to tell her to he would be okay, but Lia was doing that enough for the both of them.

"No ma'am. He was critical when he was brought in. We'll know more once he's out."

Mary cussed the world out in her head and huffed.

"Thanks. I expect an update every hour," she ordered, heading back to the waiting room.

Norah still lay on the two chairs; her little body sprawled out in the most obnoxious of ways, the blankets covering her face, her blonde locks spread out across the seat. Lia was pulling her fingers through a few strands of it, and it seemed to be calming her down. Norah didn't seem to mind either, so Mary just let it go. She hoped Norah wouldn't wake up; Lia was bound to find a knot within the nest of hair sooner or later. Hopefully, later.

"How you holding up?"

Did she really just say that? She hated when people asked her that. Everyone had asked her the same question, a million times over and over again these past few weeks, and she had subconsciously promised herself not to subject anyone to answer the impossible question, but look what she had just done?

"I'd be better if I knew he was okay," she whispered, her hand resting on the small swell of her abdomen and the other still twirling through Norah's hair.

"I'm sure we'll know something soon. You know me. I went all Clint Eastwood on those hospital staff."

Mary settled into the chair next to the dancer, fiddling with her blackberry. It vibrated in her hands.

_On my way. On the 3.A.M flight to D.C. Be there as soon as I can._

She rolled her eyes; only he could find a goddamn flight to Washington in the middle of the night.

"Thanks, Mary." Lia placed her hands on her lap. "I really appreciate you going through all the trouble of staying here with me, especially with Norah and all. And the whole Marshall thing-"

"Please, don't mention it. It's no problem. Stan, he's more of a father to me at times than my own father ever was." She cringed.

"_You're gonna be fine," she lied, holding the bleeding, handcuffed man in her trembling arms._

Her father, there wasn't much to say about her father, she thought. Nothing she _could _say.

Stan couldn't die. Not today. There was a woman pacing back and forth for him, carrying his child and wishing, just as much as she was, that he would come out of this whole thing fine… alive. In five months, he would be a dad. A role no one ever thought Chief McQueen would ever step into. He was in love, a feeling no one ever believed Stan would achieve with his busy schedule. Everything had changed, not just for Mary. For Stan, for Marshall, for Brandi. For _everyone_. If only she could quit feeling sorry for herself, and try to embrace the change everyone else had undergone all of this could be so much easier to handle. But Mary Shannon didn't do change. Norah was the only exception to that.

Unfortunately, she would have to make a few more expceptions.

xxx

Eight hours later, Norah had woken up and busied herself with the blocks in the very corner while Lia and Mary took turns wearing a line in the carpet of the waiting room. She understood hospitals, she knew something bad had happened, but for once she didn't ask questions. A little while later, Norah climbed into Lia's lap and was now asleep after Lia had held a long, drawn out conversation about her favorite color. Norah must have gotten bored, the way she was drooling all over the dance instructor's shoulder and snoring the way Mary did after a long day.

Mary rolled her eyes; she felt like she hadn't slept in days. Nine in the morning, Christ, Mary thought. Six updates had gone by and he was just getting out of surgery. They wouldn't be able to see him for a long while; recovery was hell if Mary was remembering right. Of course, when she had been shot, the feeling of a tube shoved down her throat and a pile of bricks on her chest kept her from coming to for days. She shuddered and moved back to Lia.

"I can take her if you want," she offered, sitting beside Lia with her arms outstretched.

"No, she's warm. There's just something about a small child asleep in your arms."

"Yeah well, three a.m feedings are a blast. Bet you can't wait to be doing that…" Mary snickered, crossing her legs.

"I've always wanted to." She smiled.

Mary shifted uncomfortably, chewing on her fingernails.

Norah stirred a little and her head shot up.

"Marshall?" the groggy three year old mumbled against the loose fitting t-shirt Lia was sporting.

"Honey, Marshall isn't here- her mother began.

"Actually, I'm right here." He inched forward until he was standing directly in front of Lia and Norah, his hands in his pockets, dark circles underneath his eyes to match everyone else's. He was quiet, not bothering to make eye contact with Mary. "Any word?" he wondered, looking to Lia as he brought a hand up to rub Norah's back.

Mary cringed as the sight of him with Norah proved to be too much for her. She shuddered.

"No word yet. You can give that nurse a go, because I've pretty much bitched her out as much as I can. Maybe she needs to be, I don't know... charmed," she admitted, the words tasting bitter as they came from her mouth.

"I guess I can give it a shot," he muttered, rubbing at his eyes, "I'll be back in a few seconds."

"Don't threaten me," Mary mumbled. His head shot backward at the blonde Marshal, and he parted his lips ready to shoot back. It was obvious he stopped himself because he realized she was serious. She didn't want to be in the same room with him, let alone be cordial to the man. Marshall advanced toward the nurse's desk, cradling his badge much like the way Mary had earlier.

She hopped up.

"Bathroom? Anyone?" she asked, looking back and forth between her daughter and the other pregnant woman in the waiting room.

"Uh, sure, come on Norahhhh!" Lia grunted, lifting the child up as she did herself.

As Mary washed her hands, she bit her tongue, attempting to take the focus from the smell of the soap making her stomach churn. Norah was still a little sleepy, swinging her legs off of the sink as her mother continued to scrub at her fingers.

"I'll never get the smell of hospital off of me," she complained as Lia closed a stall door behind her and joined her.

"You can go…if you want to."

Suddenly, she felt guilty, "No, I didn't mean it like that… I'm sorry."

"It's Marshall, isn't it?"

"What, what are you talking about?" Mary tried to act dumb, but she knew Stan must have told her at least a shred of what was going on. Not many people just up and walked out of their house for a vacation to D.C. Especially not Mary.

"Don't act dumb Mary. I know you and Marshall had a tiff."

Norah looked back and forth curiously.

"Maybe we did. But, that's not the reason I'm cranky."

"Yeah, well, it sure has seemed to trigger your signature scowl and your typical brooding…" Lia replied sharply.

This was not the ideal situation. Mary had to keep her mouth shut. A pregnant woman nagging another pregnant woman was not a recipe for a good conversation. But there was one difference between the both of them. Stan had just been ripped apart and packed like he was being overnighted by fedex. The man Mary loved was safe and sound.

She couldn't say the same for Lia.

xxx

After an excruciating hour of awkward throat clearing, flipping through magazines older than her child, and avoiding eye contact she just couldn't stand it anymore.

Mary handed her daughter to Lia, grabbed Marshall by his arm and dragged him into the next private waiting room, propping an end table in front of the door.

"Now you're gonna listen and you're gonna listen good. I am _angry_ and I am hurt and you don't just get to waltz in here and save the goddamn day, You don't get to be that guy, that guy who just shows up, this is no fucking romantic comedy!" she screamed.

"Mary…"

"No, I am talking right now!"

"You have gotten your chance to talk, it is my turn!" he bellowed, backing her into a corner. His face was hard, his voice hoarse and his expression enraged.

"Wh-"

"No!"

Mary pushed her way out of the corner and plopped down on the closest available chair.

"Fine." She sighed. "I'm listening."

**Hope you liked it! **

**Review and tell me what you think!**


	13. Chapter 13

**Here is chapter 13! I am a thousand times SORRY for it being sooooo late! It is proof-read by ME. Not my beta, so I hope you bear with me! Happy Reading My Friends!**

"I understand your anger toward me, I do, but you have to give me a fair chance to defend myself." He stated. The harsh tone was unbecoming of Marshall's usual, silky voice. Mary shifted in the seat she had taken.

"Honestly, you're lucky I haven't kicked the living hell out of you." She replied coldly, glancing over her shoulder to see Lia occupying Norah for the millionth time in the past eight and a half hours.

"This is what I mean." He smacked his fist to his other open hand. "Keep your mouth shut and let me say my piece!" Marshall took a deep breath. "I think we have both spoken some things we wish we could take back. Unfortunately, they'll forever be imbedded in our memories; none of the words we have exchanged have been anywhere near acceptable." He sighed. "I know the last place we want to go is back to that balcony…"

"You're damn right." Mary interrupted sharply.

He rolled his eyes. "But I think that is precisely where we need to begin."

"What is there to say Marshall? You wanted me gone, I left. You wanted me okay, I was fine. If I recall correctly, _you_ were the one who came running,_ you_ were the one that wasn't okay." Her eyes were dark and probing for any reaction from the tired man just feet from her grasp.

He looked down at the ground, covering his face with his hands. "Like I said, we said a few things we wish we could take back. I just hoped you wouldn't have let the conversation veer in that direction."

"So this is _my_ fault? That's just terrific! Now the balcony bullshit is my bad too? Fine. Add it to the goddamn list!"

"No. I didn't say that. We are equally to blame for the events of the past couple months… for the last decade, really." He whispered, making no eye contact with her any longer.

"Decade?! What are you on Jackass?"

"Mary, I love you. You are my best friend. You have been the only woman who has ever been important to me aside from Abigail." He scolded, pointing his finger menacingly.

"Oh great! Now we have to bring Chaffee into this?" Mary let out a loud, dramatic sigh.

"Yes we do!" Marshall was red now. "Like it or not she is a part of this whole mess too. Marriage is not a vow anyone should take lightly and that's exactly what we've done." He rubbed his neck again, squinting to stop the tears from falling down his cheeks that were welling up. "I ruined my marriage. From the start I didn't have my heart in it. It was always somewhere else." Marshall admitted.

"What the hell?"

"What?!" He looked up from his confession.

"Do you seriously expect to come in here and spout out some ridiculous, rehearsed load of bullshit and have me be completely forgiving? I'll be the first to admit I'm_ not_ that big of a person." Mary feigned laughter and brushed the hair from her face, as greasy and matted as it was she ignored the unhygienic feeling.

"Of course not." He scooted closer to the edge of his seat. "Listen, we really need to talk, and perhaps this isn't an appropriate time to do it. It was a stupid idea anyway."

"Shut up Marshall! Just shut up! You told me our baby meant nothing to you; you said to my face you didn't want it!" She was yelling again, standing up abruptly on her feet. "If anybody understands how much I hate the idea of a father running off on their kid it should be you of all people. You were there! You were there that whole time, while I hunted my own dad down and then snapped a pair of cuffs on him! And you were there when he died." She was whispering now. "The balcony was just the icing on the cake."

"You have to realize, I never intended of escaping the task of fatherhood, not by a long shot." He stood up, calm compared to the woman across from him. "I was afraid… I was married, and not too long before all of this- expecting a baby with another woman."

"You were _afraid_? Jesus Marshall how do you think _I_ feel? Fuck, there's sonograms floating around Norah's room somewhere she's hidden, Jinx is threatening ballet lessons on the poor thing already and Brandi and Peter are dropping hints that they want to be Godparents! At the same time, the person I most want on my side is cowering in fear beside his wife while I attempt to calm the raging circus that is my life! _Afraid_? You don't know what afraid is! Trying living with the idea of raising two kids without the full time assistance of another human being,_ then_ you can be afraid."

"You won't be raising this kid alone!" He raged.

"I think that's for me to decide." She said coldly. "Marshall you have no idea how I feel, so stop trying."

"Mary, I love you." He choked. "More than anything in this world!"

She stood back. For years she had thought if he just felt the same way, everything would fall into place. It was unfortunate she had to be proven wrong.

"Marshal I l-

The door swung open despite the table and Lia poked her head in. "They said I could see him" Her eyes were red again, Norah was hanging onto her T-shirt by her side. "Mary can you come with me?" She asked through a shivering jaw.

Mary chewed on her bottom lip. "What about Norah I can't just leave her-

Marshall still looked as if he was trying to figure out what Mary had been saying before Lia had barged in. His expression pained, but willing he announced. "Come with me Norah, we'll go get some pudding!" His tone was cheerful and his lips curled in a forced smile, but she ran to his arms anyway.

She couldn't refuse. "Not too much junk Bug, okay?" Mary warned before kissing her softly on the cheek. Norah giggled knowingly and then proceeded to look up at Marshall. "Pudding?" she said sweetly offering as if it had been her idea.

"Of course." Marshall answered, shifting her to his hip. Mary turned before she could catch another look at her daughter's bubbly attitude with the man she wanted so much to resent right now.

"Let's get in there Lia." Mary said softly, grabbing her by the shoulder and giving her a reassuring glance.

xxx

What they don't say when they tell you you're allowed to see someone after life- saving surgery is the monstrous amount of tubes, wires and apparatus they are hooked up to. They don't mention that this is not your loved one, but an empty, broken shell. Sometimes, this shell can be fixed with an onslaught of therapy or medications, other times it's not up to the doctors or the family, but the broken, empty shell to find its way back to reality. This is hard for everyone, reality that is. It's especially hard after a trauma for the one who has been traumatized.

"So you're saying he might not wake up?" Mary questioned frantically, watching through the window at the sight she hoped wouldn't become imbedded into her mind. Stan, bruised, cut and burnt with Lia cradling his cast covered, swollen hand.

"The coma is medically induced. He will wake up." The doctor paused, waiting Mary's attention again. "But I'm not worried about Mr. McQueen's outer injuries. They will all heal with time, perhaps leaving a few scars. The internal damage in the crash was substantial. What I'm most worried about is his brain."

She glanced in the window again, the snowy white bandage around her former Chief's head hadn't come to her attention the first time she saw him. The sight was too overwhelming to notice the only clean, fully in tact physical extremity on the man's body, even though now it was the most important.

"What kind of brain damage we talkin here?" Mary sounded as if she were negotiating. If only this were a situation where she could.

"We aren't sure. We'll know more once the drugs wear off. If he remembers his wife then we should be safe." He said quietly. Mary cringed, hearing wife and realizing how bad of a case of horrible timing this was. He hadn't even had a chance yet, to marry the mother of his child. He didn't even get an opportunity to love the life within Lia and now.. She shook her head of the dark thoughts.

"You do understand how important this man is right?" She forced her best, authoritative, U.S. Marshal tone. "Me as well as the entire Marshal Service expect this man to be given the best care. Now see to it- it's done." She ordered. Mary knew as well as anyone WITSEC would have this on the down low. This had to be work related, Mary had been in her fair share of chases hunting down fugitives back before her career in the merry land of witness protection and you only went after psychos. She had inkling there was a WITSEC related psychopath barreling through the streets of D.C. right now, but that was the least of her worries. Marshall was still with Norah, something she couldn't bear to think about, Stan could be permanently brain damaged, something else she wanted off her mind and all she really wanted to do was be back in Albuquerque. She yearned to be home, cuddling on the couch with Norah sharing their bowl of _ice. _Mary looked down at her phone to check the time, and dismissed the doctor.

She entered the room quietly, closing the door behind her gently as is Stan were only sleeping.

"Lia?" Mary moved closer to the woman.

"What did the doctor say?" She questioned, her voice hushed.

"I apologize, I flashed my badge. Really, you're the one they should be consulting. Not me." She sat down beside the woman.

"I don't care Mary, what is happening?"

"Well, the good news is, he's definitely gonna live and all of his injuries should heal eventually." She sighed. "The bad news is, his memory could be a little shot. His brain did get scrambled in the accident, but they did their best in surgery to repair the damages."

Lia looked over, "So he will wake up, but you're saying he could not remember me, or the baby?" The tears were already falling before Mary could spew forth her plan.

"Listen, I am very confident that Stan could never forget you. Here's the deal. When he opens his eyes, let him see me first. If he doesn't know me…."

"He definitely won't recognize me." She finished, wiping her face. "Let me think about it okay?" she said firmly, crossing her arms in her lap.

"Of course." Mary looked over to find Marshall staring through the window, his puppy dog eyes, pools of exhaustion. "Where's Norah?!" she questioned angrily to the man on the other side. He only saw her mouth moving, but understood what she had said.

He slipped in, doing the same as Mary, being careful with the door. "I took the liberty of leaving her with the daycare just a floor down. Just for a few hours, until this is all… you know." They both knew he wasn't sure how to finish so she let that slide.

"I can't believe you left my kid with random strangers without consulting me first!" she argued.

"They're the most qualified strangers I have ever met." He said coldly. "I wouldn't leave Norah with anyone incompetent, you know me better than that." He finished.

Before Mary could retort groans filled the air, replacing her anger with anticipation as all three of their head shot to the chief. This happened for several moments afterward, long enough for Marshall to inch closer and closer to Mary. Stan opened his eyes, clearly surprised to have an audience. Mary grabbed Marshall's sleeve, chewing on the inside of her cheek awaiting Stan to speak. Her anger bubbled to fear and his touch calmed her down more than she wished it had.

"Stan?" Marshall croaked.

The man in the bed attempted to clear his throat, but was bombarded with a series of sputters before he came out with.

"Marshall?" he croaked. "Did you hear?" He paused to sputter a little more. " I'm having a baby!"

**Sorry I was late, again! This isn't betaed yet! So I hope it didn't take away too much.**

**Review and tell me what you think!**


	14. Chapter 14

_**Kinda fluffy. Stan's P.O.V until it obviously switches to Mary. I guess what Stan did with the situation wasn't as bad as he made it out to be. **_

_**Hope you enjoy!**_

He had sat there with the phone in his hand for quite a long time, just gaping from miles away at the response from his former Inspector. _Pregnant? Mary? Again? _The sputtering utterances which spewed from his mouth that came afterward_ still_ couldn't suffice for how he felt. He ceased scribbling and skimming through the papers on his desk and simply sat there. Stan stared at the copy of _What to Expect When You're Expecting _lying atop his briefcase on the ground. His phone had dropped to his lap.

"Stanley?" _Lia inched forward, toward the man reclining in their bed. He smiled. She had just unpacked the last box from her Albuquerque apartment two evenings ago, even though they had been dwelling together for a month now. He closed his eyes, wanting to bask in the smooth, sexy tone of her voice._

"Mhhm?" _He yawned, his legs crossed, swaying in a rhythmic motion back and forth. _

"Did you ever want children?"_ She asked, moving closer to him until she was sitting on his edge of the bed, looking down at him with her dark, wild eyes. _

"Maybe fifteen years ago."_ Stan smirked again, his eyes still shut. He opened one just in time to watch her inquisitive, happy expression turn dark. _"But I wasn't in love with anyone then." _He added, rubbing her arm gently. He hesitated bringing up the subject himself when her face didn't soften at his mushy, Italian charm. _"Why? Were you th-thinking about… k-kids?"_ Stan stuttered uncontrollably. _

"Not necessarily."_ She responded, looking down at her intertwined fingers in her lap_. "But…"_ She trailed off. Now both of Stan's eyes were wide open, staring at the brunette now grasping the comforter with her two hands. _

"But what?!"_ Stan questioned impatiently. _

"I'm having a baby, Stanley."_ She whispered, shifting again._

"Hmm?"_ he asked, shooting up from the pillow. _" A-A what?"

"A baby… I'm pregnant." _Lia looked up hesitantly. _"Aren't you going to say something?" _she shot back. _

"Of- of course… I- Lia… Not in my wildest dreams… I." _He ran his hand across his bald, shining scalp and then took her by her hands to stop her nervous movement. "_Are you sure I'm the one you want to do this with?" _he stumbled. He felt foolish, was it a choice now?_

"Yes. I mean, I wouldn't want a baby with anyone else." _She said quietly. Stan pulled her hand from her grasp and lifted her chin. _

"Me neither."

It was no doubt he was thrilled. Mary and Lia? Both? At the same time?

It seemed there was no time to process before Mary was sitting right in front of him, looking for some sort of wisdom he had no right to give. Yes the two Inspectors had gotten themselves into a pickle. He wasn't sure what to say. Until now, he felt as if Marshall and Mary were the children he never had, now with a baby so soon in his future he no longer felt he had any business allowing his opinion into the mess. He would give it to her anyway of course. He had felt accomplished when Mary's tears halted, but guilt overcame him quickly, perhaps he had crossed the line a little too soon. He should have known better to get involved before one of them came running.

After a few days of punishing himself for what he had said and what he had done, he was stuffing a few things into his briefcase to schlep home, to meet Lia for an extremely late meal. He frowned at the frazzled look on his new Inspector's face, setting his suitcase down immediately. Apparently, Washington had other plans for him tonight.

"Sir."

"Yes." Stan huffed.

"One of our high security witnesses has disappeared." The man caught his breath. "It's been forty eight hours and we haven't heard back from him so his assigned Inspector and his partner went to check on the situation."

"Get on with it!" Stan coaxed, tapping his foot, becoming angrier by the second. This would have never happened in Albuquerque.

"Before his retirement, your predecessor dealt with Jonah Levowitz. He had a psychotic breakdown a few years back, but seemingly got his life back together. The man attends regular therapy sessions with a doctor five days a week. He even had a girlfriend, they were living together. Unfortunately we can't question her."

"Why the hell not?" Stan argued, his forehead wrinkling.

"We found her dead in their kitchen, nearly gut like a fish Sir. No one else has seen him. We think he's held up in his old hiding spot back when he was on the streets without his medication. A few enforcements are heading over now. I was told you would want to also be in pursuit."

Stan nodded, striding to his closet. The number one thing he had always told his Marshal's in Albuquerque was, _Your vest is your best friend._ He hadn't changed his philosophy.

Not that it didn't feel good to be back in action rather than behind the scenes making phone call after phone call, but Stan just wanted to be home.

Halfway to the broken down building, almost out of town his cellphone vibrated against his thigh. "Stan McQueen?"

"Jonah Levowitz made a break for it; he's heading south from the building in a black sedan. License plate RGT- 8445. Be careful Sir, we aren't sure if he's armed or not!"

Stan scowled. A wild goose chase for a nut job at ten o' clock at night? This was excessive. He reminded himself to punish the nimrod that did it. High profile witnesses were always under strict surveillance, he told himself again this would have never happened in Albuquerque.

He jammed the gas pedal with his foot, from fifty to ninety in a minute. The Black Sedan was speeding up and slowing down, swerving from left to right, turning and screeching. Levowitz was making this too easy, until one swerve led him down an alley. Stan took too much of a wide turn, smashing into the building. He heard glass shattering, crunching- if only he had been wearing his seat belt.

Black. Dark. Nothing.

A whirlwind of nothingness, flashes of Lia, stills of Mary, Marshall even a few of Delia and Mary holding Norah. Those dance lessons. That day at the court house. Everything.

Finally, a splitting headache. Out of all of it, he would rather hurt than feeling nothing at all. It felt like a ton of bricks piled high on his forehead, and the bright light that pierced his eyeballs was too much.

Marshall? Was that Marshall? Was that Mary? Where's Norah? Lia's soft hand stroked his arm. Why couldn't he speak? A series of noises and indescribable sounds escaped his mouth. Why were there no words? He watched Mary get closer to the other Inspector, it felt like fireworks in his brain, but he managed the only thing he could think to say. "Marshall did you hear? I'm having a baby!"

xxx

Mary sunk down into the sofa. "Thank Christ…" She mumbled her head falling into her left hand, her hair dangling to her shoulder. She looked down at her stomach, undeniably swollen and barely protruding. That whole debacle with Stan had her mind on everything but the swell of her abdomen. Another appointment would have to be made with Dr. Reese but that was the last thing on her mind.

Norah was asleep in her own bed for the first time in what seemed like forever, Mark was coming by very early in the morning to pick her up for some much needed Daddy-Daughter time the little girl was yearning for and somehow, Stan had convinced her to try Albuquerque WITSEC again.

"Mary. I have something to tell you."_ Stan shifted in the bed. _

"What Stan?"_ She asked. _"Do you need anything?"_ She looked at the bruised man._

"_I _don't think D.C is where you belong. I think you should make your way back to Albuquerque."

"How hard did you hit your head?" She teased. "No, I can't yet, there's still a few things I need to get in order…"_ Mary lied._

"No Mary. No. You have a job at ABQ WITSEC. If you choose to quit I don't see a home for you anywhere else."_ He said sternly._

"Really? You're not gonna give me another job? Jesus_…" She dropped her head into her hands. _

"Marshall needs you_."_

"Oh Lord. Not you too. Listen, Marshall doesn't need me. Marshall needs no one but Miss. Texas! He has made that abundantly clear. Give them time they'll work it out."_ Mary cringed at the thought. _

"Mary_." Stan looked at her with exasperated and pleading eyes. _

"What Stan? Just Rest. You need to rest."_ She said, neatening up the covers, attempting to distract the man in any way possible._

"I am not resting_." He sighed. "_I have a confession to make_." He scooted up on the bed, pulling at his I.V. wires to loosen them up. _

_Mary looked at him wearily. "_What?"_ She asked. She turned her head to see Norah, asleep again in a big chair in the corner of the room. Lia was in the restroom and Marshall was searching for a hotel room nearby. Mary was on Stan duty for the next five minutes. There would be no getting out of this talk. _

"When you told me about, you know_…" He rubbed at his bald head. _"I kinda called Marshall to see how he was taking it._" He shrugged. _"And I offered him the same position in New York if he wanted to…"

"Get away from me."_ Mary finished. "_Figures…"

"Mary, it wasn't anything personal, I just assumed it would be easier with Norah and Mark and the new baby if Marshall were the one who moved on."_ He defended to the silent woman. _

"So… When is he leaving?"_ Mary whispered._

"He's not. You didn't let me finish. Marshall turned me down. He said that he wasn't leaving as long as there was even a slight chance you would forgive him. He needs you Mary. And he's not leaving. Not until he has you."

_She was still silent. _"Stan I don't-

"Don't tell me you don't love him Inspector. Apparently, you felt something toward this man if you went off and-

"Stan. Shut up. You're supposed to be hurt and quiet for Christ sake."

"Listen, take it from me, Marshall is a catch Mare. If you can't see that, well shame on you."_ He paused. _"Do me a favor. At least try to be civil, stay in Albuquerque, maybe you'll realize things have a funny way of working themselves out."

It was impossible for Mary to have been mad at him, it was Stan, and it was his way of trying to help. There was no need in getting angry at him when he was already beat up and bloody anyway.

She was so tired, and the light had faded as the sun had set. Usually, Norah watched the sun creep down to the horizon with her mother, but tonight they both needed rest, now to face the blurry, vast world of WITSEC again in the morning.

Who knows, maybe Stan could be right.

_**Tell what you thought Hope you enjoyed! Next Update, PROBABLY Sunday- started school again, so busy, but I won't forget about you all!**_

_**Please Review!**_


	15. Chapter 15

**Here ya go friends! Hope you like it!**

Mary stared down at the snowy white sheet which covered her lap. As she shifted she made an array of crinkle noises that seemed to go right through her which she didn't appreciate. She also didn't appreciate having to leave work for these appointments. Way back when these baby doctors didn't exist, women would spit out their children in a field and keep on farming once they had their wits about them again. But, when Mary made her thoughts known on the subject she was always bombarded with those "advanced maternal age" remarks. Doctor Reese's favorite phrase seemed to be, "Now Mary, you're a little older now." Which the Marshal knew was the OB's usual lead into what she would she need to change. Eat less salt, drink more water. But, Mary guessed she had no right to be annoyed this time around, she hadn't had any right the last time around either. She was awarded a big 'I told you so' from Stan on Norah's birthday in the form of agonized looks and verbalizations. He hadn't had time to scold her before she made her escape to the failed shebang where Norah had decided to go rogue and make her appearance as Squish made her disappearance.

Mary could tell Marshall was trying not to treat her any differently, but how could he not? How could anyone not treat them differently? Delia knew something was up, between Abigail not coming around anymore and the fact that Marshall was served Mary's first day.

"Are you Marshall Mann?"_ The woman questioned in the parking lot._

"Umm yeah."_ Marshall rubbed at the beads of sweat forming at his hairline as Mary watched from two yards away. _

"You've been served."_ Mary read on her lips. _

_The pain in his face caused her to look away. She waited for him to sign and make his way into the building before starting toward the Sunshine herself. Bitch, she thought. That was great, serve him right before his day even began. He probably had one of the most stressful occupations in Albuquerque; she couldn't have sent them in the goddamn mail?_

_Mary sighed. That ruined her day too._

Mary supposed it was becoming more obvious what was going down to her co-worker as Mary started ignoring her tighter clothes and resorted to the maternity garb she had boxed up after Norah was born in the back of her closet. She had heard little from Stan, but it had only been two weeks. Not very long the way Stan was busy. Lia, physical therapy and convicting that crazy fellow who caused all of that havoc was probably keeping his life from becoming everything but dull. She adjusted again on the table as the door opened and crossed her legs when she recognized a handsome face instead of the one of her doctor's. "Marshall?! What the hell?" Mary questioned, her brow furrowed. "Get out of here!" She cried out angrily, gesturing to the doorway.

"Delia found your appointment card on the floor of the elevator. It gave me the time of your appointment, so I took it upon myself to show up. As much as you don't want it to be, Mary, this baby is mine too." He countered sadly. He inched forward, his hands shoved into his pockets.

Mary's heart sunk and her anger melted into solemnness. She was disappointed that she gave him the impression that she didn't want his baby. There was no one else she could stand on this earth to be the father of this rug rat other than him, but she couldn't say that out loud. Her eyes burned with tears, but she wiped them away. "I'm gonna let you stay." Mary choked.

Marshall opened his mouth, but closed it again as if he were ready with an argument if she had decided to remain stubborn. "Hmm?" He asked confused. "You're what?"

"You can stay Marshall." She repeated. "I-

"HELLO!" Doctor Reese bellowed with a smile from ear to ear. Mary hadn't even known what she was about to say, but Marshall seemed to understand it had the potential to be monumental if they hadn't been interrupted. He wiped the pain from his expression and took the outstretched hand the woman had put out for him. "And are you the Daddy?" She chirped at him, shaking his hand joyfully.

"Uhhh? I'm Marshall Mann" He replied nervously, clearly taken aback by the quirky woman. He couldn't imagine Mary hadn't pulled her glock on the overly ecstatic medical practitioner. Even Marshall seemed to think this was a little excessive the way he unusually fumbled for the right response.

"Yes." Mary answered awkwardly to fill the silence with something other than his utterances of confusion. "It was his boys who did the deed." The doctor eyed Mary as if she were truly interested and then shook her head in understanding.

"I haven't seen you in a while Mary, I was beginning to worry about ya. You know how this office has a strict no missed appointment policy in your first trimester. Fortunately, your blood work seems to look well and your concerns seem to be minor so I guess I'm not too mad." She joked. "Now could you uncross your legs for me so I could start the physical examination?" The woman smiled from her stool at Mary's feet.

"Err…" Marshall began his inaudible rambling once more, this time uncomfortable. He moved toward Mary's top half, slowly and cautiously. He knew she wouldn't find it at all right for him to have such a view.

"The quicker we get this over with, the quicker we can take a peek on the ultrasound." She added as Mary fixed her feet into the stirrups when she found Marshall was in an acceptable position. Honestly, where he stood she still didn't approve of. He was so close, his thighs pressed into the exam table and did his best to lean away from her, but his scent gently wafted to her nose. Mary made an effort to breathe from her mouth as not to inhale the rustic dryness of his familiar cologne. His jacket brushed against her bare arm causing her to recoil from the contact and Doctor Reese to sigh in frustration. "If you could stay still, this will make it easier for both of us." She replied to the action, shedding the cheerfulness from her tone. "You know the drill, you're going to feel some pressure, but it will be over before you know it."

Mary pursed her lips. Not only was she fighting the overwhelming urges associated with Marshall, but the need to blame him for the instrument currently occupying space she rightly, barely let anyone invade was overwhelming. Mary gripped at the sides of the exam table. He looked like he was about to offer a hand but, decided the last minute he shouldn't. She didn't know if she would have accepted it or not, so maybe it was best he had a second thought.

Her cheeks were red with embarrassment at Marshall's noticeable recognition of her reaction in regard to the normal procedure. "Everything looks good." The doctor reassured, ripping the sanitary cover from the tool and discarding it in the trash. She placed it in a drawer and picked up her clipboard again. "Now Mary, do you have any concerns you'd like to address other than your headaches?"

Marshall's eyebrows rose in concern and he thought to ask her why she hadn't told him, but he realized all too well why she hadn't. Why had these few, strange moments felt normal to him?

"Aside from those, no." Mary whispered, still recovering from her episode of bashfulness.

"Hmm." Doctor Reese tapped her pen on her lap. "There could be a few reasons for those.. but your blood pressure looks normal so it can't be toxemia, that would have also been evident in your blood work…" She shuffled through Mary's file a bit and Marshall coughed. "Stress maybe?" He said slyly as the OB looked up to meet his suggestion.

Of course she was stressed. She didn't need a goddamn doctor, especially not her OBGYN telling her that. What the hell hadn't been stressful these past few weeks? She thought. Stan's deranged witness leading him barreling into a trash heap, Lia's book full of questions about pregnancy and fighting with herself about Norah, about this baby, about Marshall… What couldn't be considered stressful?

"That's precisely what I'm thinking Mary. Take it easy and don't be afraid to ask for help. I'm sure Marshall here would be willing to lend you a hand. And your boss should be understanding as long as you explain the situation." She smiled.

Mary ran her fingers through her blonde strands. "Yeah, well, he's my boss." Mary laughed pointing to her left as Marshall swayed back and forth between his heels and his toes.

"Oh well. Take a load off of her boss." She winked, speaking to him authoritatively but playfully.

"Will do." He muttered, not taking his eyes from the floor as Mary watched with her 'don't you dare' glare.

"Shall we take a peek at your baby now?" Doctor Reese asked.

"Sure." Mary replied for both of them, crossing her legs again to get situated on the table once more.

"Okie doke, let me just get the machine ready. Talk amongst yourselves." She encouraged moving about the room. Mary looked up at him, but she couldn't find words, definitely none that were nice or any that were appropriate to say in front of a stranger.

They sat in silence, Doctor Reese clearly understood they weren't in the talking mood and she pulled her chair to closer to Mary's middle and tugged the screen forward so they could all get a better look. "I'm just going to lift your gown a little bit." She stated, pulling Mary's skimpy garment just an inch or two above her belly button. Marshall watched curiously as the gel poured onto Mary's stomach and the woman began probing for the tiny human inside.

"Mary." Marshall stated as the woman busied herself with her work. "I need to tell you something."

"Can it wait? I mean we're kinda in the middle of something." Mary snapped.

"I don't want it to." He said his expression hard and his eyes aflame. "I want you to know-

THWUMPSCH THWUMPSCH THWUMPSCH THWUMPSCH THWUMPSH

Mary had forgotten what the heart beat sounded like. It was completely mesmerizing, absolutely heart grabbing. Why couldn't she have enjoyed that wonderful sound when she was pregnant with Norah? Why couldn't she have realized it then? She looked over at Marshall who stared intently at the screen, his mouth agape as he took in every last beat and rhythmic thump. How could she keep being mad at him, but how couldn't she at the same time? Without realizing, she clenched at his coat sleeve, wondering what she could say to make everything better.

Nothing, she realized. Absolutely nothing.

xxx

Mary had changed and was stepping out of the room when he approached. "Mary. I need to tell you something-

"Marshall. Please?" She begged, subconsciously straightening his collar with her fingers. "Today was so… perfect." She sighed. "We only ruin things when we talk."

He didn't try to stop her as she walked away. Not with a shout or with contact. He just let her leave. If only he had tried, she wondered. Would she have listened?

xxx

"Nighty night Bug." She called gently, kissing her daughter gently on her forehead. "I love you." Mary stated, clicking the orange night light to 'on' on the wall and shutting her door.

"Wuv you too Mommy." Norah replied, yawning as she snuggled closer into her pillow and tighter into her comforter.

"Sweet dreams Bug." Mary whispered, making her way to her own bedroom.

Fifteen minutes later she lay in her bed. Thinking. Lately, Mary didn't like to think.

It did nothing but hurt and make her cry and she didn't want to think- she wanted to sleep. She wanted to sleep and remember today as it was. Practically blissful. He showed up and instead of being incredibly angry about it she was fine. Is this what forgiving him felt like?

She picked up her phone. What would she say? How would she say it?

The warm, low tone of his voice filled her ears and her heart throbbed with every second that passed. "Marshall?" She took a deep breath. "I don't want to be mad at you anymore."

**Please review and tell me what you think!**


	16. Chapter 16

**Sorry everything has been so busy lately! Please forgive me and enjoy this chapter!**

**Thanks for continuing with your reviews and being such awesome readers!**

"I signed them." Marshall whispered, holding a large envelope in his hand standing in the doorway of his office. Delia had gone out for coffee and the rest of the office was quiet, busying themselves with paperwork and hushed phone calls.

Mary looked up. "Signed what?" She asked, looking up from her computer screen. She hadn't been productive. Granted she had only been in the Sunshine building for ten minutes, but she had spent those ten, long minutes just staring at the wallpaper on her monitor. It was Norah, smiling back at her, swinging on the swing set at the park just down the road from her house. Before she was born, Mary had the normal, WITSEC issue screensaver; she had no idea what had compelled her to change it only a week ago.

"In a few weeks my marriage license will mean absolutely nothing and Abigail…" He said her name with certain sadness. Although, not regretful, solemn and heavy with doubt. "Abigail." He repeated. "Will no longer have a hyphenated surname." He shoved the hand dangling at his side into the pocket of his dress pants.

"Oh." She mumbled, clicking off the monitor so she would be less distracted. Her heart was beating loud in her ear drums and she knew she was wasting energy trying not to get upset or angry. She was at fault for the way he was, how he dragged his feet and those worry lines riddling his handsome face. He had tried so hard to convince her that it wasn't. But she couldn't help but feel guilty.

"Do you wanna…" He cleared his throat so it wouldn't rasp. "Grab something for dinner with me tonight?"

Mary looked for an excuse, realizing she had no strong argument she said the first, horrible, weak one that came to her mind. "I have Norah tonight." She replied, sitting up in her chair.

"We can bring her." Marshall said. "We'll get pizza and I'll treat her to some ice." He winked, a smile coming to his lips, his hands now on his hips awaiting her answer, knowing she couldn't deflect that offer.

When had she ever told him about _ice? _Mary thought. She didn't remember that. "Uh- Okay." She muttered.

"Great, I'll pick you up around six."

He was turning around to head back into his office when Mary got up the courage to say. "Marshall?" He looked over his shoulder, a thoughtful expression on his face. "I really appreciate you trying to scrounge the last of normalcy between us. But, I don't think we're ever going to get back to where we were before… all of this." Mary breathed. "We're different now, we are having a b—

"SHHH Mary." He rushed over, a hard expression etched in his features. "Lower your volume, please!" He scolded. "The whole office doesn't need to know our _situation_."

"Excuse me?" She hissed. "Marshall, everyone already fucking knows!" Mary stood up. "Hey guess what everyone!" She screamed.

"Mary, please?" He begged, stepping closer to her.

"Marshall and I, yes! Marshall, our Chief and I are having a baby! In about five months! Isn't that exciting?!" Her eyes were wide and wild and her mouth curled into a snarl.

Inspectors new and old stared at the two of them wondering what that sudden outburst was for; wondering what would happen next as they were nearly nose to nose. _Didn't everyone already know that? _Someone bold whispered in the awkward silence.

Suddenly Mary felt foolish. As Delia appeared in the doorway of the office, balancing cups of coffee and her keycard, clearly suspicious as to what just occurred. Delia slowly made her way closer to the two of them, handing Marshall a large cup, steaming and radiating the smell of French vanilla. Next she outstretched her arm to Mary, gulping as she caught sight of the small bump protruding from her stomach. Marshall snatched away the Styrofoam cup mid-exchange. "Caffeine is bad for the baby." He stated quietly, throwing the full beverage into the trash bin beside Mary's desk. Her jaw dropped slightly and her face was angry.

"Carry on!" Marshall yelled to their audience, slamming the door to his office.

Mary stood there, leaning with both hands onto the surface of her work area her chest nearly touching the monitor of her computer. She chewed on her bottom lip and her eyebrows rose well into her forehead. She lowered herself down to the chair, turning her head to make contact with her co-workers staring back at her still. "You heard the man!" She hollered when she found her voice again. "I'm sure you all have some sort of D.C. BS to deal with! Get on with it!"

As the shuffling of papers filled the empty sound waves, Mary decided it time to turn her attention toward Delia, who still held the empty carrier, staring down at the splattered mess in the garbage pail. "I'll give you cash for the trouble." Mary muttered, logging in to the WITSEC database, wishing the stray, still gaping eyes would find someone or something else to feast their overgrown curiosities on. They had heard enough she decided. And the jig was up, she realized.

"Y-you know, Stan and Leah are-

"Expecting too- I know." Mary sighed, leaning back in her chair. "I know I'm not getting out of a hug or a squeal so can you get it over with while everyone's attention is still somewhat on me."

Delia shook her head, finally dropping the empty container in the trash can and awkwardly put her arms around Mary. Shocked and stunned.

"No screeching?" Mary asked in disbelief. "I was sure I was gonna get a Parmalee earful…" She snorted, settling back into her chair.

"No, nah, of course not…" Delia whispered, taking tiny steps toward her desk- Marshall's old desk- mumbling her own thoughts to herself.

Mary shrugged, digging through her drawer finding a piece of hard candy and unwrapping it. She glanced into Marshall's office, still pouting, still angry. Suddenly, she was just tired of being upset and again, sick of the yelling. She thought they were over it. But really, were they ever going to be over it? Would this actually work? Every other weekend, dropping both of her children off at a different Daddy, sharing her children with four different grandparents? She didn't want that—not at all.

Mary huffed, standing on her feet, she adjusted her shirt over the mound in her middle. It felt like every eye was on her, watching her every step to that door, anticipating every situation as she disappeared into the office, leaving them to wonder what would go down.

She avoided his hard gaze. "You were out of line." He stated.

"Yeah?" She said. "So were you!"

"Mary, our personal life cannot collide with work anymore—I am chief now." He admitted frustrated. "It's different now, there are new Inspectors and no more Stan to cover our asses when things go awry as we've already realized." He rose from his office chair. "I don't mean to be harsh, and I certainly don't mean to be hurtful."

"You have to mean to be _something _Marshall! If you don't mean to be hurtful or harsh, what the hell _do_ you mean?"

"I mean…" He stopped, slamming his hands to his desk. "I mean to protect you! I mean to protect you from the silent stares and the judgment, ABQ WITSEC isn't what it used to be! People in this place don't know who we are, don't know what we've been through and couldn't understand even if they did. Delia, is sitting out there pale as a ghost! You just sprung all of that on literally everyone! Everyone!"

"You know what I think?" Mary responded, narrowing her eyes.

"If I lie and say 'I do' you'll still tell me." He growled.

"I think the only reason you're so goddamn upset is because you still can't believe this! You still can't _stand _hearing the fact that little miss Texas is back in her hometown and now the only person you have is me! That must fucking scare you Marshall, all of these years you've had Stan, you've had Abigail, you've had your mother to call every Sunday, you're Dad to hate in your cute, little 'youngest son' way and now you're down two and you only have me in your grasp! You're _afraid_ Marshall. And I don't blame you, because that's how I've felt all of these years, that's how I've felt every day, always wondering who should I turn to and having it be someone you've always been so close to losing!" She breathed heavily, her face red and her jaw clenched tight.

He was silent. Apparently she had struck him some way, somehow.

"I- I _love _you, Mary!" He shouted. "I _love _you so much and you don't even have a clue, not a single inkling about my feelings, not an idea about how I feel!"

She cringed. "You're my best friend, Marshall. You have to love me. And you have to love me because we screwed up and the result was an innocent kid!" She shrieked. "You have no way out anymore…"

"I never wanted a way out. Why do you say things like that?" He argued, shrugging his shoulders and shaking his head. He plopped down into his chair. "You're wrong by the way." He added, his hands covering his face.

"About what?" She asked angrily.

"I don't have to love you because you're my best friend or because you're the mother of my child." He sighed dramatically. "I want to love you because you are this excruciatingly mysterious woman, you puzzle over the smallest situations, you're absolutely beautiful, you're great at your job, for the past three years you've been an amazing mother, and you unconditionally love the people you care about." Marshall said this all without glancing up.

"Well, that's the biggest load of bull I've ever heard you spew." Mary leaned against the blinds, calmer than she was when she entered, sadder than she ever had been.

"It's not- MARY!" he yelled. "Shut up! I'm standing here, telling you I love you and all you have to say is something snarky and discouraging. You're so frustrating!"

"I am frustrating to _you _for years and years I have stood by and I have backed off because I don't deserve you, I thought I didn't need you, I thought you were better off without me! You can't change the way _I _feel by putting those three insidious words out into the open! Ones you know I _won't _say back!"

"Why the hell won't you?!" He screamed, ignoring the words that had come before, a breakthrough in all that was Mary.

"Because!" She wiped at her burning eyes. "I don't know."

" I do. You said to me, I'm afraid. I'm finished being scared of it Mary, I've lost everyone you're right, and I'm not going to let fear get in the way of keeping what I've wanted so badly since the day we met."

"Marshall I-

"You love me."

"You can't decide all by yourself how this works. You can't tell me I love you and leave it at that." She ran her finger across the dusty blinds. "We're having a baby Marshall, that's all."

She couldn't believe she had just said that. She didn't mean anything that came from her mouth anymore it just felt like she wasn't in control, everything and everyone else was. And all of these things knew Mary needed control. She thrived on control, much like sleep she needed it to remain sane.

"Go home, Mary." Marshall ordered. "I'll pick you up at six."

"I don't-

"I'll pick you up at six." He said again.

"Marshall-

"I'll. Pick. You. Up. At. Six." He gritted his teeth and pointed out the door.

She had no flame left; she obeyed, grabbing her stuff and logging off of her computer.

xxx

"Norah!" Mary called.

"Mommy!" The little girl shrieked.

"Guess what?" She said ignoring Mark's confused gaze. Yet again she was home early.

"Wha?" Norah asked, distracted by a toy in her hand.

"You, me and Marshall are going to get some Pizza." Mary said sweetly, pinching her daughter's nose gently to hear her giggle.

"We are?" She smiled, from ear to ear. "I love Mawshall." Norah laughed as Mary took her up into her arms, planting a smooch on the top of her blonde waves.

The time seemed to pass by slower and slower, her heart beat faster and faster, 5:59. There he was waiting in the driveway. Mary peeked out the window, afraid to call for Norah and have her rush out to greet him. Mark left an hour ago, giving her little time to think. She guessed that's precisely what she didn't want. To think.

Finally, she saw him hastily and angrily glance at his watch and then slam his door. Quickly the sound of his footsteps grew louder up the path toward her front door.

Mary hesitated, pulling the handle to open the threshold staring back at him. His eyes dug into hers like knives.

"Where's Norah?" He asked, apparently worried Mary had pulled a stunt involving Mark or Joanna to avoid this outing.

"In her bedroom."

Marshall pulled a stuffed animal from behind his back. "Giraffes are her favorite animal, right?"

"Uh yeah. She nearly died when I brought her to the zoo last week." Mary forced a snicker.

"I would have loved to see that." He said sincerely, shifting his weight to one foot, switching the hand he held the giraffe in.

She hated him right there. Standing all nonchalantly looking back at her like she was supposed to leap into his arms and forget about the past few months. She hated the way he cared, how this genuine care shone through everything he did. It made her heart ache and twist in her chest.

Marshall stepped a little closer, just to fill the silent moment with whatever he could. "I know Norah hates any sort of topping, so I was thinking we could get her a slice of cheese and then get you your pineapple, ham and ranch pizza you've been craving." He smiled.

Mary stared at him briefly, trying to process the words he had just said, struggling to come up with an appropriate response to prove that she had, in fact, been listening, but instead of the excuse she wanted so badly to conjure in the spur of the moment something else slipped out of her mouth. "I love you."

He narrowed his eyes, clearly surprised at the random confession. Marshall wondered what he could say. "You do?" Was all his swimming brain could come up with.

**Please review and tell me what you think or how you feel!**


	17. Chapter 17

**I sure do hope you enjoy! Thanks for all of the reviews on that last chapter, what super readers you all are! **

"Are you sure you don't mind taking Norah?" and "I love you, Bug," were the last things Mary uttered when the clock struck seven forty five. One hour ago in the midst of pizza and Norah induced conversation they had sat for a delightful meal, and anyone who knew Mary, knew she was anything but delightful. The little girl giggled throughout her dinner as Marshall and Mary fidgeted, awkwardly and uncomfortable.

"_I've waited too long for you to say that," _still echoed in Mary's ringing ear drums. All of it seemed surreal, even the savory pineapple, ham and ranch pizza that was tingling her screaming taste buds couldn't distract her.

Mary couldn't even find her disgust for the stares and the bubbly old ladies stopping every two seconds to congratulate her. That entire eight cut, she was dreading the moment she was alone with him.

Now, not so much.

_I thought we were just going to talk. _Mary thought, as he pulled her in. He caressed her cheek, inching closer and closer, pressing his warm body against hers. Marshall's hands traveled down her sides, his cool fingertips resting on her little stomach. "I have a confession to make." He breathed on her neck, whispering into her ear. Mary made a few incomprehensible noises and he continued. "Just being this close to you thrills me. And I'm a fool not to have done what I did sooner." He said, slipping his hands underneath her shirt and sliding it skillfully over her head.

Mary ran her hands down his back, feeling the muscles she enjoyed to explore. Her fingers began working at the buttons, impatient and famished for a feel of his bare skin, then his pants, ripping his belt from his waist, undoing the buttons on his trousers much faster than she had on his shirt. Suddenly, she was comfortable, no longer shaky as he unsnapped her bra and took her breasts into his hands. He relaxed under her grasp too. It was something Mary never had experienced, being so welcoming to another person's body atop of hers and relaxed in the heat of a passion.

She kissed him, hard and determined to taste the sweetness within his mouth and the remnants of his sweet breath sitting on his sly tongue. Tangled in sweaty sheets, the guilt free perspiration rolled down their bodies, glistening and wet. Mary's breath came in heavy huffs; she bit her lip to quit from smiling like a fool. He did the same. For the first time her heart didn't feel heavy in her chest, but light and fluttery, nearly palpitating with jubilance.

"Marshall?" She whispered.

"Yeah?" He asked, turning onto his side, to run his lanky fingers across her chest to her navel.

She looked at him, smirking in one of her weak, most convincing ways. "I'm pregnant." She shuddered.

He returned her gaze quizzically, "I know." He stated carefully and quietly.

Mary rolled her eyes, blushing a little bit. Realizations are funny. They hit you hard and send you to the earth with a thud. Unless you're one of those lucky people, who realize something like Mary had, that she would never touch the ground, never have the chance to taste anymore dirt. Because Marshall was there, he had picked her up, dusted her off and now wouldn't ever let her back down. She was soaring, high and proud. Why was this sex with Marshall so enlightening?

Had it really been the guilt weighing her down? The absolute, scary mind boggling amount of 'what if's'?

"I mean…" Did she _know_ what she meant? "I mean, I'm not mad anymore." She sighed. "And I mean it this time." Mary swiped some of his brown hair from his face, tracing the fine, soft hair along his eyebrow and adding, "Is this what it feels like?"

Marshall smiled. "What, Mary? What—what feels like?" He inquired softly.

"Being happy?"

His grin grew wider, his eyes still tired, but for a different reason. Marshall reached in slowly, touching his lips to hers. What compelled her to do it, she didn't know, but she grabbed his hand. Gently, she pressed his large paw to her tiny belly. "Wait." She responded quickly, stopping what he was about to vocalize with one quick gesture.

"For what?" He reveled at her seriousness and the way she stayed so still with her fingers tightly intertwined with his.

"Just wait." She insisted, still unmoving, her eyes closed, whispering to herself. "Say something Marshall, anything." Mary coaxed.

"What do you want me to say?" he asked sweetly. He glanced down at their interlaced fingers wonderingly as the small life force in Mary shifted, causing the surface of her stomach to guggle discretely.

"He does that." She smirked. "All the time when you talk." She continued. "He really likes your voice." She looked away purposely, so he wouldn't see the tears, ready to fall for no reason. "Norah liked it too." She mumbled, remembering all of those times, as she moved uncomfortably in her office chair, especially when Marshall set off on one of his Shakespearean rants or philosophical musings. They both loved it, especially this one, swimming around in there, Mary thought, his voice must sound so mystical, so much smoother, and flowy. She assumed that's why Norah enjoyed listening to him now as well, sometimes she listened just a little better to Marshall. Mixed with the thumping of her heart it must be a little sanctum in there.

"Are we going to find out the sex?" he asked, still mesmerized by the little ripples at the surface of her little protruding tummy.

"I didn't for Norah." Mary looked at him. "But, if you want to, we can." She replied. "I think it's a boy."

"What makes you think that?" He wondered, now rubbing in a circular motion, awaiting another flourish or tiny ripple.

"I don't know. I guess I just do."

She lied. After, that plus showed up on that test she had made up her mind there was a little boy who had set up shop in there, clinging with determination and fierce stubbornness to her insides the way Marshall had clung to her for so long… With sprouting brown hair and wonderful cerulean eyes, ones which would sparkle and twinkle with joy and curiosity like Marshall's. Always thinking, always knowing. "Marshall?"

"Hmm?"

"What does this mean?" She quivered, lying with his arms around her a few moments later.

"Whatever you want it to mean." Marshall chuckled.

"I'm sorry I told everybody. I was angry."

He sat up, the bed sheet only covering his bottom half, his chest bare and flexing as he reached over to touch her face for a change. "Don't be sorry. I reacted in a way totally inappropriate, and quite frankly I couldn't care less who knew…Because… I'm… proud of us Mary."

"Proud?" She asked confusedly.

"I know- what a horrific way to describe my emotions, but it's true. For over a decade I wondered where I'd be in ten years. This is precisely the place I wanted, Mary. Precisely. And I don't care what I've screwed up, what I've done to get to this point." He shuddered. "The balcony…" He cringed. "That was wrong. I spent every day wondering if you'd ever trust me again…"

"Obviously I did." She answered dumbly, glancing toward her gut.

"I've just really made some bad decisions."

Mary's heart fell. What did he mean?

"If that's how you feel- She began defensively.

"No! _This _is not one of them; _you_ are not one of them!"

"I've been a lot of people's mistakes, Marshall." Mary said sadly. "I don't want to be yours. You know me. You do, and if you think you won't be able to deal with me being my overprotective and neurotic self then you need to get out now. So I can start building my emotional barrier before this kid comes, rather than later."

"Mary Shannon are you implying that you want a relationship with me?" He teased.

"You know how much I hate the word relationship…" She sighed.

"I'll do whatever you want, I'll be whatever you want Mare. If you say _jump _I'll ask _how high _so please, just tell me."

"I—

The sound of a phone ringing startled both of them, Mary crawled out of bed, toward her jacket, digging through her pocket for her blackberry. "Hey Brandi can- what?"

Marshall moved toward the end of the bed, closer to Mary, a worried expression plastered on his face to match hers.

"Brandi- I'll be right there! I'm coming- Squish! I'll be there!" Mary hung up the phone, throwing it to the floor as she began to slip on each shed garment. "I have to go."

"I have to go." She stated flatly.

"What's happening?" Marshall asked, scrambling for his boxers sensing the urgency flooding her eyes and her voice.

"It's Riley. She's sick." Mary was rushing through her sentence, losing her breath much faster than she should have been. She gulped. "I told Brandi a few days ago it was probably just the flu." She began to cry. "It's not Marshall. Her fever's up to 104…"

"Calm down…" He stopped, his belt undone and his shirt half on, grabbing her shoulders. "It's gonna be fine, Mary. She'll be fine. Toddlers get sick. Your niece is no exception." He tried to soothe.

"Brandi's hysterical!" Mary cried. "And it's my fault. Why did she listen to me?"

"Fever is no big deal; a doctor can get her fever down no problem…" He attempted again.

"That's not the point Marshall. The f-fever… _That's normal_ , but Brandi had to call an ambulance because— she shuddered- Riley had a seizure when Peter was trying to put her down for a nap." She finally choked.

His eyebrows rose. "I'll get the keys."

"You don't have to come, Marshall!" She sniffed, pulling her shirt over her head, clipping her badge to her belt and reattaching her glock to her holster. "You don't need the drama."

He took her hand, squeezing tightly.

"I'm coming." Marshall let go. "And you can't stop me!" He called as he made his way down the hallway, buttoning his shirt. "This is our family, Mary!"

She stopped furrowing her brow.

_Our _family? She thought, why did that sound so… right?

**Hope you enjoyed, please review and tell me what you think?**


	18. Chapter 18

**Here's the next chapter! You are all awesome reviewers! **

**Enjoy!**

They came running in, catching the end of an argument with Peter Brandi was having. They both nearly slipped on the venom on the floor.

First Brandi screamed at the doctors, then the nurses, Jinx and when Mary showed up, sobbed. Right into her shoulder went her little sister's face as Mary rubbed her back, racking her brain for something reassuring to say. Marshall stood behind Mary, his hands on his hips, gazing at the scene with silent worry. Waiting for his cue.

It wasn't long before he was over at the front desk, in a hushed argument with more of the staff, flashing his badge and perhaps his gun. Mary couldn't tell. "Shhhhhh Squish, everything will be all right!" She yelled over the gasps and whimpers.

"You told me it was the flu, Mary. You told me it would go away!" Brandi wept, quivering and shaking in her sister's arms.

"Did they tell you what it was?" Jinx chimed in, wringing her hands in her lap, sitting on a waiting room chair, rocking a little to keep her composure.

"It's Meningitis." Peter said quietly. Mary was surprised at how much he had sunk into the background, barely noticeable. You could see the terror in his eyes, the mind numbing anguish flooding his features. As if he hadn't looked old enough, he was looking older and more worn down than he ever did. Similar to the way he had looked at her little sister and his almost wedding, Mary looked away, clutching Brandi a little tighter.

"Okay… Okay, so they can fix that!" Mary said into her ear, still holding her tightly in her grasp.

"Bacterial or viral?" Marshall's voice interrupted Brandi's sobs and Peter's excruciatingly intense, silent misery.

"They didn't tell us yet." Brandi gasped. "We're praying for viral."

Mary glanced over at Marshall confusedly, raising her eyebrows. He smiled weakly and mouthed, _I'll tell you later, _and then cleared his throat. "All right. Let me see if I can give those nurses another try—if charm isn't enough I suppose I can give it the old weaponry flash technique."

That was him trying to loosen everyone up, but they all remained tight and tense. He sighed, making his way to the desk again.

"I know Squish." Mary soothed. "I know how it feels. It sucks to grow up." She said swaying from side to side.

_She tugged at Jinx's sleeve. "Mommy, she's crying again!" She whined. The woman in the bed was still, showing no signs of waking up. The other side of the double bed was empty, hollow of anyone or anything. It would be silent if the screams of the tiny baby in the crib nearby would cease and let the whole house welcome sleep._

_Slowly, the blonde headed little girl made her way to the crib; peering between the bars she could see the angry, red face of the hollering infant. Hesitantly she takes her up into her arms the way her father showed her only a few days ago. She sways back and forth. "Shhh Brandi, I got you." In moments the shrieks subsided and silence filled the air. _

Brandi had calmed down slightly and resorted to gnawing on her nails, one of her legs shook, watching her made Mary nauseous. Gently, Mary pushed her down to a chair beside Peter. Jinx hopped up as if-if they were to all sit down it would throw off the uncomfortable, aching equilibrium of the waiting room. Mary watched as her sister's eyes stayed glued on Marshall, watching him gesturing and speaking. "What's Marshall doing here?" Brandi whimpered, catching the attention of both Peter and Jinx.

"We were… talking when you called. He wanted to tag along and I didn't want to say no." Mary replied unsteadily, letting her voice waver a little too much to sound convincing. Without thinking, her hand touched to her stomach, rubbing the rippling bulge in a steady rhythm that matched her racing heart.

"Are you two working things out, you know? About the baby?" Jinx asked nosily, stepping forward as if the extra centimeter would take her high pitched inflections out of Marshall's ear shot.

"We've come to an agreement, but that's not important right now!" Mary insisted.

"Congratulations." Peter whispered, grabbing Brandi's hand.

"Thanks, but really, there's a better time for this." She retorted, trying to dim the inappropriate spotlight on her. She crossed her legs. "Can I get you anything, Squish?" She turned her head a few inches to the right to glance over her sister's head. "Peter?"

"No thanks." Peter shook his head. His wife looked at him as if disgusted.

"I want you to find out what the hell they're doing with my daughter!" Brandi ordered, suddenly riled and mad, her face twisted into a snarl.

Mary held her hands up in surrendering defense. "Of course!" She replied, slipping away with as much dexterity as she could.

Now, Mary found herself standing beside Marshall. "We have a situation." Mary stated seriously. "Brandi is about to go bonkers if she can't get a peek at the Riley. We absolutely need answers Marshall or she won't ever talk to me again." Mary stopped, contemplating if she had ever imagined that scenario a bad thing and then shaking it away for a better time.

"I'm working on it. They told me they would be right back, but for some reason I don't think they were telling the truth." Marshall said suspiciously, searching for anyone with his harsh eyes.

"They're probably behind those doors marked, _personnel only." _Mary pointed. "I'll be right back." She began to walk away, but Marshall grabbed the sleeve of her jacket.

"Mary, don't go, you can get into trouble and Brandi needs you!"

"Well, you're certainly not going! And what the hell can they do to a pregnant U.S. Marshal? Hmm? I'm a walking double whammy, hormonal with an itchy trigger finger? Nobody will even think about messing with me." Mary snorted and subconsciously pecked him on the cheek. The gesture was so domestic and so un-Mary like, Marshall just stood there for a few moments, shocked and flabbergasted, an onlooker as Mary disappeared behind two, big swinging doors.

Marshall adjusted himself in the hard seat, glancing over at Peter, who stared blankly at the ground, his hands in his lap. "Peter?" Marshall touched his shoulder, but he shook it away.

"Please don't touch me."

Brandi had made her way to the restroom a few moments ago and Jinx had followed, Mary was still nowhere to be found, most likely still conniving her way into Riley's room, to see her with her own eyes just to reassure everyone. Marshall just hoped she hadn't gotten herself into any trouble.

"Okay, man." Marshall answered, pulling his hands away. "Do you wanna talk about it?"

"What do you think?" He answered coldly. "I told Brandi we should have taken her to see someone, but no, what Mary says is law. I should have known she wouldn't listen to me. Not when Mary puts her two cents in."

"You know." Marshall turned to the man, facing him with his eyes narrowed. "It is absolutely true I have no idea what you're going through, but here's the thing, Mary's already blaming herself. It's not her fault that Riley contracted the sickness; it's not her fault that Brandi puts trust into her opinions. That is something you need to discuss with your wife. If you were absolutely hell bent on getting your daughter here you could have easily convinced Brandi to tag along. It is nobody's fault. Not yours, not Brandi's and most definitely not Mary's. We're all still new at this parenting of all people should understand it was impossible to know. Meningitis has flu like symptoms, anyone would have told you not to worry."

"You weren't there." He whispered. "She just started shaking. Right in my arms, my little girl… just having a fit, burning up and convulsing. You're right you don't know. And I hope you never have to find out. Maybe it is no one's fault, but that won't stop any one of us from not feeling guilty." He rasped, his brow furrowed as he ran his hand across his scalp covered in his thin black hair.

"No one should. No one. This is no one's fault, Peter."

Mary fumbled through the doors, carrying herself, waddling from side to side. "Here's the deal!" She bent down and caught her breath. "Dr. Stick-up- his- ass is willing to let one parent, yeah _one _parent see Riley, the other will have to stay back and get the low down on what's happening and his game plan. I vote Brandi goes in and you, Peter listen to what the douche has to say. Marshall and I will fend off Jinx and take turns wearing a path in the tile floor. Sound good?"

"Why don't you let Brandi and I make the decisions? Hmm?" Peter glared at her, looking up angrily from his lap.

"Uh-Yeah, of course." Mary whispered taken aback. "You two should really discuss it yourselves. Where is Brandi?" She asked, making forced eye contact with the man.

"The restroom. I'll get her. I don't need to give you any more time to sway her in another direction."

Mary's eyebrows rose. "What the hell's gotten in to you?" She asked, covering her mouth in regret.

"You want to know what's gotten into me? Huh? It's the fact that my little girl is in there, hooked up to tubes and wires because you had to go and tell Brandi what you thought, how you felt about a situation I put just a tiny bit more angst into and now, look where we are! Sitting in the hospital, because for some reason that extra what? _Nine months_ of parenting makes you more qualified?! Barely!" He screamed, seething with rage as he wiped tears from his cheeks.

"_Brandi, really? Come on! Ask mom, I'm still new at this too!" Mary argued. _

"_I know, but you still have been a mother longer!"_

"_A few months does not qualify me more qualified… God Squish, you know what I mean, I'm not the one to be asking." Mary sighed, glancing over at her bed ridden niece who couldn't keep her eyes from her Aunt's newly bulging bump._

"_Just tell me, please?" She begged. "I'm desperate here." Her little sister tapped her foot, her hands on her hips. _

_Mary sauntered over to Riley. "I'm not a doctor, Squish." She said, pressing her hand to her cheek. "Yeah she has a fever. But Norah has had at least a dozen. If she keeps puking, bring her to the doctor, no matter, lay off juice and just let her have water…" Mary turned to the child, gently pinching her cheek. "All right, Riles? Feel better little girl." _

"_Kay Aunt Mary." She sniffed, cuddling into the tummy of a teddy bear and closing her eyes. _

"You're right." Mary quivered. "I may not be mother of the year or sister of the year or in law of the goddamn month, but Brandi wanted my advice and I gave it to her! I'm sorry. That's all I can say. That's all I _will _say." Mary sat down, her legs crossed her hands resting on the mound of life in her gut, waiting out the flutters and the vertigo. "Just tell her she can go in when she's ready. Please?" She added, chewing on her bottom lip.

Peter let out a "Hmmph." Obviously not expecting her to be civil, and trekked toward the restroom Brandi had disappeared to.

Marshall sighed. "You okay?" He asked carefully, watching her face as he worked through his words with proper inflection.

"I've been better." She groaned. "Just feeling a little dizzy." Mary shifted to prop her elbow up to rest her chin in her palm. "Doing a lot of arguing these days." She quivered.

"Peter had no right to-

"He did, Marshall. Every right. I should have told Brandi to listen to him and not to run to me when she needs help. For some reason she doesn't understand that whole husband thing." She interrupted him, upset and shaky. "God Marshall, what if something happens to her?"

She looked up pleadingly as the tears began to fall. "What did you want to tell me? What's the difference between the viral case and the bacterial?" She shuddered.

"We don't need to-

"Yes we do. Tell me, Marshall!" She ordered.

"W-well, Bacterial…." He sat down beside her, picking at the fabric of the chair with his nails. "Bacterial is much more serious, it means hospitalizations, intubation… But viral, which is the more common and easier to treat form is not as life threatening and children who have viral meningitis usually get to go home to get well. If Riley has bacterial, umm…" He scooted as close as he could.

How she wanted to keep it together for Brandi, but the pressure was too much. The guilt, the pure guilt. "Riles, she's just so, little." Mary croaked. "Not like Norah, Norah is this tough little cookie and Riley, she's so dainty and fragile…. What if I judged it like I would have for Norah and I was wrong?" She continued.

Marshall furrowed his brow. "Mary, all children are resilient, it does not depend on her taste in toys. It's in every child's nature, no matter what. Riles, err, Riley." He coughed, trying to hide his subconscious error. "She is a strong kid. If she has even a smidge of Shannon gene in her, she is no different than you are… If my assumptions are correct, Riley is going to come out of this fine, if not stronger."

"Well, you know what they say about assuming." Mary sniffed.

He let out a weak chuckle. "Oh Mary."

"I'm scared. I'm just scared."

"An unusual declaration coming from your mouth." He teased.

"Well if you haven't realized I haven't really been myself lately."

"The last thing I want to do is change you…" Marshall began, clutching her in a hug.

"You already have." She gulped. "You already have."

**What could our Mary possibly mean? What will Marshall think? What about Riley?**

**Review and tell me what you think!**


	19. Chapter 19

**Sorry for the delay. The whole AP English thing takes up loads of my time, but I'm trying! Please enjoy, nothing too important, can mainly be classified as Mary/ Marshall fluff, just a teaser for the rest of the drama to ensue. **

**Enjoy!**

"Mary, how was I supposed to know ABQ P.D. would call me in regards to Abigail's business? It's not my fault she didn't leave an alternate number!"

Mary slammed the passenger's side door to his truck and huffed, rubbing at her side. "Excuse me for believing that they would blow up her cell!" She argued, her boots smacking hard against the pavement.

"Listen Mary." Marshall grabbed her shoulder, eying her with a hard gaze. "It's been a long night, we're both exhausted, I think while Norah's still at Marks we should get some rest and forget about today. Riley will be home later and we should be there when she gets there."

"Don't just write it off like it's nothing! Why the hell are they calling you?! What is Law Enforcement Barbie trying to pull?" Mary growled.

"Mary! We were married! There are still a few things that need to be taken care of. Jealousy is green eyed monster, and-

"So get used to it! This is how I am, Marshall. This is me! You of all people-

"Don't pull the 'you of all people' out on me again, get it out of your arsenal because I am sick and tired of listening to you make up excuses as to why you're so insecure!"

"Insecurity is my bit. I'd hate to disappoint you." She answered coldly, leaving the door wide open for him to follow. She was tearing her shoes off when the silence gripping the two of them was already too much to bear. She turned around, grabbing a fistful of his jacket, "I don't feel well, I am so tired, I can't even explain to you the amount of pain my ankles are in, pacing in a waiting room aren't what these kinds of bodies are versed for, now if you'll excuse me. I'm going to bed. If you decide to follow me or if you decide to leave, that's your decision." Mary let go of him, shoving him back a little. "If you have stuff to take care of with Abigail, go right ahead. But, leave me out of it."

Marshall stood there, his mouth wide open. "Did you…" He stopped and clutched her hand. "Did you just apologize?" He questioned.

"Maybe I did." She sighed. "Maybe I didn't. Are you coming to bed now, Cowboy?" Mary yawned, her mouth open wide, her eyes closing for a split second.

"I suppose." Marshall replied hesitantly. "I'll meet you in there."

"Fine." She pouted, her face still red from her former anger, her expression now completely ravaged by exhaustion again. She ran her hand down her middle and then turned to head down the hallway, stopping to call from the bedroom doorway. "Marshall?"

"What?" He answered gently, swiping his hair from his forehead, scanning the room, scoping out her living area better than he ever had.

"When I'm really tired… I snore." Mary admitted with a scoff.

"I already knew that." He laughed. "You've fallen asleep plenty of times in the car, on the planes, in our hotel rooms… and newsflash, it's not just when you're tired." He smiled to himself reaching down to the end table, picking up an envelope with her name on it.

He heard her shut the door and with that he settled himself onto the couch, flipping open the lip of the envelope, peeking inside.

Carefully he pulled out a thin film, dark and grey. Squinting, he held it up to the table side lamp and flicked the fixture on. Whether he was tired, or feeling particularly paternal at that moment he was surprised to feel his eyes glaze over with ready tears. He blinked them away, jumping as his cellphone buzzed in his pants. Stowing the sonogram back in its place and setting it back on the surface with a flick of his wrist.

His heart pounded at the thought of answering his phone once more today. The phone seemed to be the 'this can't be good' hotline as of late and he didn't think he could bear another argument with Mary if it happened to be anyone she disapproved of.

"Stan the man?!" He answered cheerfully. "What's going on Mr. Big shot? Feeling any better?" Marshall knew, perhaps he had babbled on for too long, asked too many questions, but Stan recovered quickly from the onslaught of curiosity and replied back in an equal tone.

"Hey there! Just wanted to check in, feeling good as new! A couple headaches here and there, but I should be back on the job in a few days! Everything good on the home front, Chief Mann?"

Marshall could practically hear him smiling from states away. He cleared his throat. "We had some trouble with Riley, Mary's niece, but other than that…"

"What kind of trouble?" Stan cut in, his voice changing dramatically.

"She just contracted a case of meningitis, a serious enough form where she had us all crowding the waiting room of the E.R. for the entire night." He stretched, pulling his long legs onto the cushions beside him and resting his head on the arm of the sofa, suddenly feeling worn all over again. "Around three this morning she took a giant turn for the better and we were given the okay to retire our worries and head home. We made it home just in time for sunrise." He glanced down at his watch.

"Great…" He didn't seem to know what to add, but relief flooded the air between them. "And Mary? How is she?" He wondered knowingly.

"A wee bit shaken up from the evening's events, but resting up as we speak snug and comfortable in her bed. I am just waiting up for my head to stop spinning. The last few days have been a wild form of whiplash for me. A whirlwind of change, Chief. Good and bad." Marshall was emotionally drained, unable to feel the right feeling any longer.

"Well, Mary's a trooper. Hey, you know- Leah had an ultrasound today!" Marshall waited for him to continue. "and we got her amnio results back!"

"Yeah? And I'm assuming by your jubilance everything was as it should be?"

"Better than it should be!" He replied with glee. "I'm having a son!"

"Congratulations Stan! So there is a Mini- McQueen brewing after all!" Marshall expressed quietly.

"Yeah, yeah, I know! Listen, I have to get going. I'm making dinner for Leah tonight, trying a new recipe! Relay the news to your girl, will ya?"

"Of course, wait-

But, he had already hung up. Marshall pictured him rushing off to grab some pots and pans for his culinary endeavors, but still hung on his last words to him

My _girl_? He asked himself. _Mary, mine?_ What an absolutely foreign concept. Mary was Mary, no one's property, no one's woman. She was Norah's mom, mother to his unborn child, but not _his girl._ Marshall took a look at his cell again, raising his brow to it and then pressing down the power button. He needed some quiet time, snuggled close to Mary resting his arm around her waist to feel the flutters contained in her stomach. He would drift off to sleep in no time and then before he knew it- it would be time to grab Norah from Marks and head over to the Alpert's place for Riley's welcome home.

XXX

Mary felt the bed dip with his arrival, and she felt him get closer his breath on her neck and she snuggled deeper into her pillow. "I'm sorry." She whispered gently, unsure if she would hear her.

"About what?" His reply was breathy, half asleep, he shifted ever so slightly.

"I shouldn't be jealous. That's a sign of mistrust and you're the only person in this world that I _do_ trust, Marshall." She gripped his fingers tightly with hers. "I love you, and I know you won't leave."

"I won't. I won't ever go. Not from you, not from Norah, not from this little one right here." He laid their intertwined hands on her side to clarify. "You're right. I'm not leaving….Ever." It was a blissful, still quiet. They were close and sound and Marshall awoke hours later, on his opposite side, Mary's blankets vacated. He felt around anyway, even though he was sure she had to be elsewhere. His hair was a mess; he could feel it on his head. Marshall looked down to see he hadn't changed after all, catching sight of his jeans. "Mary?" He called out through the house.

There was an eerie nothingness in the air; he slowly made his way down the hallway. "Mare? Where are you?" He gulped, pressing his ear to the bathroom door. "Are you in there?"

He heard sputtering, and heaving and he shook his head.

It figured after all of the commotion she had riled herself up enough. He had been waiting for it since the moment they arrived home. Marshall was so sure the release of the stress would catch up to her so fast she wouldn't know how to handle herself. And it was happening now.

He jiggled the handle, but it was locked. "Mary, let me in!" He hollered at the door in his face.

"No." She spat. "Nuh-uh!"

"Don't be a child! Let me take care of you!" He cringed, knowing that had been the wrong choice of words.

"The last thing I need is someone taking care of me!" Mary sniffed, the toilet flushing over her gags.

"Quite frankly, Mary, that's precisely what I think you need." He whispered softly as the door unlatched, revealing the bent over Marshal, curled around the toilet bowl, her hair just as messy as his. She looked up pleadingly.

"I guess if this makes you feel better." She gestured to the scene that had caused him to frown. And with that, the effort sent her retching again. He kneeled down, pulling back her hair with his long fingers and rubbing the sweat from her neck.

He pressed a soft kiss to the top of her head. "It does."

**Please review and tell me what you think! **

**Thanks for reading!**


	20. Chapter 20

**Why, hello there friends. Here's something special for you. Hate me….**

"Remember Mary, Williams was a wily one when we brought him in back in '07, so don't bat an eye and stay alert. You shouldn't even be dealing with him yourself." Marshall stated worriedly, "But, I have an… engagement which is difficult to miss. Delia should be meeting you at the coffee shop two hours after you're rendezvous with Reggie Williams to go over the details of his court appearance scheduled for tomorrow. All you have to do is brief him on what they'll be asking him and when I'll be picking him up." He ran his fingers through his hair nervously.

"Yeah, Marshall- got it! This isn't my first time dealing with this hack-bag, I wasn't born yesterday!"

"It very well may not be your first time; however it is your first time... in this condition." He was red, frazzled and anxious. Sleep hadn't come the night before, because he had been notified three measly hours before he normally turned in that Abigail would be in town. For just long enough to meet with their mediator regarding some of their assets, which included a few small stocks and the security deposit from their apartment. It's not that they couldn't agree on who would be patching up the few holes in the walls or moving out and selling the furniture they purchased together- there had been no time, no time to awkwardly meet, no place to avoid Mary's all-knowing eye. The mediator was for Mary's piece of mind. It was his idea, the only way for him to stop any guilt that would devour him by lying. Abigail wouldn't ever stop being a sore subject in their home and he knew that. It was a no brainer, if only sending Mary off by herself with a semi- insane, formerly packing, former coke head was too- then maybe he could calm down.

She rolled her eyes, patted his cheek with a loud smack and sighed. "Marshall… If you ever tell me I have a 'condition' ever again, I'll make sure to hit you harder next time." She shot a menacing wink in his direction and mumbled under her breath. "Good luck with ABQ P.D. whore." And waited impatiently for the sliding doors to separate so she could get downtown to this Williams character.

"I'll send your regards." He scoffed, rubbing his neck and cringing as he heard the rather loud, obnoxious tap to the elevators 'down' button and the stomping as she entered the lift. With a slam of his own office door he began grabbing the few things he needed to leave himself. Quickly he checked his cell phone peering down at it with apprehension, hoping the baby sitter would call and have to end her shift early and have an excuse to bail on this meeting. He didn't need it right now. He didn't need her fiery eyes staring into his, the anger practically radiating from his ex-wife was enough to get his heart rate up and send him into bouts of old feelings. Ones he would only want to apologize with. He had apologized enough, he thought. They had both crossed their lines and there was no way of making up for it now. Marshall shook his head, flicking the overhead light off. He locked his office door and headed out knowing Mary was well a ways to Williams by now. And then his heart stung again, instead for his Mary and not his ex. He just needed for her to take care of herself.

Marshall needed her to keep her head and that was hoping for a lot.

XXX

There was an ache in her gut; one similar to the kind she always felt when Marshall was in some sort of distress. Even the tiny human resting upon her internal organs couldn't take credit for the horrible feelings that were sending her spiraling into uncertainty.

She tapped her foot at Williams' door, glancing down at her phone, contemplating whether she could call the creep, but shoved it into her pocket when she heard his heavy footsteps making their way to her. It swung open, the burly, scowling man looking from his six foot- eight high perch down upon her. One hand gripped the frame with such a crushing force; she could have sworn she heard it start crumbling under his grasp. She tried to hide her frown with a snort, but was obviously unsuccessful as he raised his bushy, dark eyebrows at her. His head was shaved just recently and it was irritated and red, shiny with sweat and smoothness.

"If this is about that goddamn trial tomorrow spare me, lady!" He growled.

Mary shifted her weight to her left foot, her hands on her hips, doing the best she could to arch forward to make the bump in her middle a little less noticeable to this meat bag with legs. "I have a name knobjob and you know it! Now how about some manners before I tear up our agreement and burn the pieces in your trash bin?" She spat, pointing at the end of his driveway where an overturned garbage can lay on its side, the contents consisting of some fast food bags and banana peels were scattered all over the pavement.

His narrowed eyes flickered with rage, but he pulled open the door all the way, gesturing into his dim, smoky home while he shook from containing his normal behavior.

Mary looked around with apprehension and disgust. "It's not five star accommodations.." She cringed, pushing some papers from his grubby kitchen table. Bills, statements and a phone book fell noisily to the dirty floor and she plopped down in the wooden chair, leaning on the now cleared off place in front of her. "It will have to do." She said, trying her best to breathe only from her mouth. She was afraid of the stench that may invade her nostrils if she dared to suck in any air from this house. The dishes in the sink were old and encrusted in food that was no longer the color it had been, there was some sort of brown goo sprayed across what used to be a white refrigerator and the stove was wide open, the remnants of chunks of dinners passed covering every inch of its surface.

"What do you want?!" He groaned, the muscles in his face tensing at the Marshal. "What the hell could that asshole Mann want from me?! And why couldn't he fucking come here himself?!"

Her brow furrowed and even though she knew it was the least intimidating thing she could do, she shot up from her place. "You are lucky Chief Marshall Mann is your Inspector! He could have easily tossed a piece of scum like you away five years ago, but he didn't! He kept you, you worthless grime covered-

"Listen lady!" He roared, pushing her back against the wall. "You say one more fucking word and I swear I'll-

"What?! Spray your disgusting breath in my face some more!? Come on Williams, man up and show me why those asshole drug dealers think you're such a threat!" She hollered back the fear bubbling up in her chest.

"I told you to SHUT UP!" Reggie Williams grabbed her by the shoulder with his left hand and grabbed at his belt with his right. Mary's heart climbed to her throat as the hand gun appeared between her eyes. "I ain't scared of you! I don't need this deal, bitch and I ain't testifying!"

His hand tightened on the trigger and the tiny Mann tumbled in her tummy and sent it doing flips. Her eyes closed and she pushed away the tears. She had provoked him so easily. So his intentions would have most likely been the same if it were Marshall here instead of her, suddenly she was grateful that she had-had to go instead of him, she was suddenly grateful as she drove her free knee around her belly and into Williams' groin. Perhaps her reflexes were a little shaken; she groped for her own glock, but he was already recovering. She thought fast, giving him a swift kick to his gut and he reeled for a few more seconds. This was enough time for her to free her gun from her holster. Relief flooded her heart, but it didn't last very long. Reggie was quick and stealth, with instincts sharper from his years of drug trafficking and his ample, quiet, free time in the program to train himself.

Suddenly and again, she was grateful when the gunshot of a weapon, sounding nothing like hers rang in her own ears instead of Marshalls.

XXX

"Thanks for your time." Marshall rasped, shaking Abigail's cold hand and then the mediators." I understand Texas is quite a drive from here." He directed it to no one and sat in the nearest chair, sinking into the worn cushion. The table was long and round, ready for divorces much messier and much scarier, one with ties of children and houses. They had none of it, and in an odd sense he was relieved.

"No offense, but I don't see the point of a professional when we aren't running a cut throat split." Abigail sighed, crossing her arms and nodding to the woman with the brief case.

"I'm just here to keep the conversation from swaying anywhere personal. We are here to divvy up a couple of stocks and designate your separate responsibilities regarding your living space you once shared." The woman was no nonsense and hard shelled. He tensed up, thinking about Mary.

"I don't want to be rude, but- I really need to be somewhere in an hour." He pointed to his watch. "Abs, I don't care…"

"Stop it, Marshall! You'll get back to Mary in no time. Just let the lady do her job!" She replied. He recoiled, hurt and stunned. This wasn't like her. Not at all. After all she had just been the one to point out the uselessness of the mediator and now she was the one who was implementing the use of her.

"Let's leave Mary out of this, Abigail!" Marshall let his shoulders fall tiredly. "You're too good to bring up those demons." He tried to reinforce, but she just shook her head.

"I don't know about you, but those demons are still eating _me_ alive." She shuddered.

"We went our separate ways." He said, feeling his phone vibrate in his pocket. He ignored the call without seeing who it was and went on. "We made our choices."

His phone went off again and this time he pulled it out. With a motion of his finger and a skipped beat of his heart he flipped it open, covering the mouth piece. "Excuse me, I feel like it's appropriate if I take this." He nodded harrowingly in her direction.

"_Chief." _Delia said softly.

"What Delia!?" He asked the harshness clear in his edgy tone.

"_Mary isn't here. She's about twenty minutes late and I can't reach her on her cell." _

"You can't be serious." He answered back angrily. "Delia, he's not a stable man! I want you over there immediately! Goddamn! NOW! I want your guns drawn and backups to his address as quickly as possible!" He closed his phone, nearly crushing it in his fist.

Marshall bashed his hand against the wall of the small room, causing the mediator to jump and Abigail to stand. "What the hell is that for, Marshall?!" She asked, her own fists clenched and her jaw tightened.

"I need to get going!" He replied hurriedly. "I'm sorry." He called, slamming the door to the room open and taking long, sprinting strides out of the building. He could practically feel Abby's eyes digging into the back of his neck.

XXX

The man leaned over her with an expression she couldn't see. He was mischievous and fuzzy looking. Mary stung and burned and screamed everywhere. Was that blood? The crimson soaked in into her clothing and Reggie Williams grunted and growled a few more words. "Knocked up bitch." He mumbled, hauling off and kicking her with his steel toed boot square in her chest. It was pain that overcame her and her head dropped to the floor. She only heard the fading of his feet, the faint slam of his front door and his engine rev outside. Mary sputtered, feeling the warm fluids spraying her arm and the taste of blood fill her mouth as the blurriness turned to black.

**What do you think?**


	21. Chapter 21

**Update Forty Weeks too! I'm treating you peoples for being such awesome readers! Please Enjoy! This was my third version of this chapter, the first two were ones I couldn't stand and this was all of them pieced together which is better than what the two originals were!**

Her eyelids were dangerously heavy; no amount of trying could fight the subconscious shut in the way of her sight. Her cheek was pressed in something wet and sticky, her hands useless underneath her body as she attempted to move herself for the millionth time. She kicked and flailed, but ultimately was halted by the screaming, constant pain radiating from her aching chest, paired with the tightness in her gut, breathing felt like a less than optimal way to receive the relief she so desperately desired by filling her lungs with the gooey, smelly air confined in this house.

She heard nothing but the swimming in her head and the pounding in her body. She wanted arms wrapped around, ones lanky and ready to coax her awake, ones willing to sit her up and wait and rock her back and forth and back and forth reassuring and loving.

"_Daddy, I don't feel good." The little girl rubbed at her glossy eyes, her bottom lip quivering as the sweat sprung from her blonde hair line down her face from her slight fever._

"_You don't?" He answered, mocking her pout playfully. He crouched to her eye level, pressing his big hand to her red cheek. _

"_Everywhere hurts." She whined, reaching her arms out for him to take her up into his. _

"_Everywhere? I don't think a little girl can hurt everywhere." He teased. "Just come here, partner. Come and sit with me for a little while, we'll drink some water, just you and me." He nudged her with his nose. "Right in my arms…" he whispered, carrying her away into the living room. _

She could feel her phone pressing into her thigh and her whole body went numb reaching for it. "Mar- the coughs were similar to someone stabbing her repeatedly, jabbing her rib cage with sharp sticks and blades. She groped, her fingers feeling the molding between the floor and the wall he had shoved her into. Her left arm was practically useless, but she clawed in every direction with her right, dragging her aching body a few inches across the tile floor. She cringed, her eyes burning her mouth dry and scratchy, caked in crusty blood.

It was hazy and blurry. She quaked with chills, her eyes still unable to adjust to the world around her. "Marsh—

Why was she calling him? He couldn't hear her. How come he wasn't here? Had this been her imagination, everything- Marshall, that night… the baby. She shut her eyes tight, although it didn't make a difference whether they were open or not, everything was still nothing but haze. She waited, for anything, focusing every attention she could conjure to her belly, praying for a churn or a flutter or a toss, but everything was still. Her left hand twitched at her side as she pulled herself up with her other, and leaned against the hard, white wall. Her teeth chattered, the perspiration trickling down into her closed eyes. Mary grabbed at her shirt, running her fingers across the protrusion, relief flooding her heart once she realized the paranoia of the possibility of having gone bat shit crazy without realizing flew away. Then why hadn't he come? Her head screeched on her shoulders and the tears mixed with her sweat and poured into her bloody mouth. "Marshall?!" She mumbled, being startled by the phone in her pocket. She dug, patting her leg, wishing she could grab it quickly, "Wait…" She begged to the vibrating machine. "Please.." Her sobs were coming hard and the fear was welling up more and more in her eyes, cascading to her chin. She heard the phone clatter to the ground and a shock wave sent her toppling over back to the floor. "Marshall- GAHHH?!" She screamed, cut off by a yowl escaping her own throat as the pain overcame her. With a splat her cheek lay in the stickiness again, and no one was there to hear the static and frantic calls of the man on the other end of the phone.

XXX

"MARY?!" He bellowed into the mouth piece. "MARY!?" Marshall yelled again.

There was no reply, but the phone continued to time the conversation which meant she hadn't hung up or been forced to. His heart flourished and he found it hard to breathe.

Reggie Williams' driveway came into view, but it seemed so far from him, so incredibly taxing to reach Mary's car. Delia came speeding in directly behind him, back up on her tail. He waved them back, kicking in the door without a correct warning.

"MARY?!" He screamed pointing his gun in every direction, feeling angry and ready to blow that bastards head away. The rage inside of him surprised him.

"Mhmm." It was a groan, coming from his right hand side. He twirled to it, falling to his knees beside her. Mary,_ his _Mary was a wreck.

"Mary…" He cried, pressing a palm to her gushing shoulder and wiping at the crimson covering her lips. "Mary, I'm right here." He said, squeezing her hand. She hollered in pain as he positioned her onto her back and the piercing yelp hit him hard, sending the tears rolling down his cheeks at an unfamiliar and unusual rate.

"Marsh…" The rest of it was a gurgle. Cringing, he plopped down in a pool of her blood, resting her head at an angle just so the red spewings could come freely from her mouth and she wouldn't choke on anymore of her words. "My- ch… ches…t" She managed, trying again to open her eyes to look up at him for the expression to match his quaking body.

"What about your chest?" He asked soothingly, his fingertips barely caressing her collarbone when she called out like she was hit.

"Wil—liams.. ki- cked me." She sputtered and felt him tense with her words. She attempted to cover her shoulder, but let her hand fall into his lap once she realized the effort wasn't worth the pain.

"He's not here anymore, Mary." He said, stroking her hair from her forehead. "But Delia is going to find him and his sorry ass is going to rot in prison… I promise you that." His words were dripping with venom and hate and Mary would have laughed at his hopeful disgust if she were feeling her normal self.

"M—the- b-aby." She rasped. "Do y-ou fe-el the –baby?"

Marshall bit his lip, knowing if she couldn't he most definitely wouldn't be able to. "Hush." He replied. "There's an ambulance on its way." He looked up at Delia who had been watching the scene with a cellphone pressed to her ear. "I'm so sorry, Mary." He whimpered, brushing her cheek with the back of his hand.

"Wow." She managed wholly.

"What?" He said confusedly, adjusting himself to place her head more comfortably on his lap.

"I m-ust lo-ok like shi-t if you're apol-ogizing." The hacking came after that, the blood spraying his jacket as he covered her mouth as not to get her clothing grubbier than it already was from lying on the floor.

The sirens echoed in his ear drums as he rubbed her side, squeezing her shoulder tighter, feeling the warmness flowing freely from her arm, the feeling of protruding bones, and the brokenness/ "I love you, Mary." He whispered, leaning down to kiss her sweaty, hot head..

"I-lo-ve…" This time she spat, clearing her mouth and her throat. "I love you too." She rasped.

The paramedics rushed over, checking her vitals and nearly shoving Marshall away. Mary was up in the gurney and pushed into the ambulance in a blink of an eye. He climbed in, his face being a perpetual frown as of late he would do anything to know what a smile felt like again.

The men did the medical work, sliding gauze into her wound, covering her mouth with supplemental oxygen while feeling the same stillness in her belly the two Marshal's had both experienced. He shuddered, and waved to Delia to begin the search for Williams and finally, all Marshall had to do was hold her hand. That's all he had wanted to do…. was just hold her.

XXX

Her head felt like a heavy weight, weighing her neck down and she struggled to lift it from her pillow. The feeling of her greasy hair matted to her head was overwhelming and her body was extremely stiff. She felt tight everywhere.

"Woah, woah, woah.." Marshall whispered in a light scold, guiding her head back to the pillow. "Mary, you need to rest. You've been through hell the past seven hours. Let's get some sleep, okay?"

"Wh- She was trying to force the words from her mouth, attempting with every fiber of her being, but it came out broken and jittery. "W-here's N-orah?" She asked hoarsely, realizing she definitely couldn't move her body, realizing that the fluorescent lights were suddenly burning her half open eyes and her mouth was stinging and searing as the saliva soaked into her soar cheeks and dry throat.

"With Joanna." He stated softly, moving a few strands of hair from her face. "Don't worry, she's fine." It was more of his way of telling Mary she, herself was okay, not Norah. Marshall was hell bent on conveying that nothing more was to happen to her and nothing ever would happen to Norah, he was just afraid to directly promise such things, for he had before and now they were here, she was in pain and he couldn't bear to see her this way.

"A-nd- the— she coughed and her chest and shoulder screamed in unison, the pain was sharp, steadily throbbing and for a moment she was on the verge of slipping into darkness again. Determined to stay awake she managed to open her eyes even more, her brow furrowing as the light poured into her overly sensitive eyeballs.

"The baby is fine for now." Marshall stated grimly. "Only if _you_ keep being fine, though Mary and I know that's hard for you, but you absolutely need to rest. Can you do that for me? Please?" He was nearly begging, gripping at her hand as she blinked excessively against the sights of the room.

"Y-yeah." It was a short answer, but all she could say. Suddenly, the noises of the monitors and machines beside her were more noticeable, the sounds hit her ear drums and the beeps pierced her thoughts.

The feel of his large hand against her soar fingers and his soft breathing in the air was the most comforting things she could focus herself on. "C-an y-you do m-e a f-favor?" She asked, glancing at him, moaning as she attempted to turn her head.

"Of course." He replied. "Anything." He scooted closer to her.

"L-ay with m-me." She stuttered, still trying to find her whole voice.

"Mary, I can't—

"Please!" It was a demand not a question, she wasn't begging, it was a command and who was he to decline?

Hesitantly, he walked around the bed to the opposite side, avoiding her shoulder wrapped tightly in the bandages and the wires stringing her to the machines. Awkwardly, he lay on his side, resting his right ear on the pillow as she struggled to move over the slightest bit. "N-ow t-tell me the da-mage." She said glumly, gulping, her eye shutting to concentrate on listening.

"Then you have to rest." Marshall stated firmly. Mary moved her head in somewhat of a nodding manner and he shuddered. "Your shoulder is the worst of it all. The bullet was through and through barely skimming you. But your collarbone was broken in two places when he…_kicked_ you." He was gritting his teeth now. "The damage to your chest was enough to knock the wind out of you, give you a wicked contusion, and you chomped down on your tongue and your cheek which explains the blood coming from your mouth. Because you were lying down it seemed much worse…" He trailed off, watching her lift her left hand, it was shaking, intertwining their fingers again and managed to place it to her bulge.

"Shhhhhh.." She whispered, halting his words with her gentle statement.

Marshall waited ever so intently as did the woman beside him. Her heart jumped excitedly as the bubbles and the ripples began and his finger twitched in hers. He chuckled sweetly and then took his other hand to smooth her blankets. "I told you the baby was fine.. You have to trust me." He said kindly.

"Y-you kno-w th-that's hard for m-me. We've be-en ove-r thi-s a d-dozen ti-mes." Mary snapped. "They were so still…" She mumbled completely, her voice breaking and her lip quivering.

"Okay Mare…" Marshall soothed. "Okay… Now it's time for sleep. Jinx is coming soon and you need to look like you. We both understand how she gets. Especially when it has to do with your work and Brandi has been blowing up my cell with her worries too. Don't you fret, I'll fend them off." He grinned, pulling her hair away from her face.

She felt him, hard and warm against her. Pressed against Marshall she felt safe, relaxed, and was soon well off into pained dreaming. He was most content with this moment- not just because of the bubbling and rippling under his fingertips or just the calm noise of her breathing and the soundness of her slumber, but because he knew once Jinx arrived to take his place beside Mary he would be well on his way to ABQ Police Department where Reggie Williams sat in a cell awaiting to be interrogated, by Marshal Marshall Mann himself.

**Sooooo, what do you think?**


	22. Chapter 22

**Happy Thanksgiving- Here's a long update to give thanks to all of my readers! Hope you enjoy… Uh-oh is Abby back? What's going on with our Mare- Bear? Is Reggie Williams still in one piece? Find out in this next update!**

"I hope you know I had to call in a few favors for this." Abigail snickered, un-cuffing the Marshal from the interrogation desk and tossing the metal restraints onto the table top. He rubbed at the red marks on his wrists.

"I don't understand why they found it necessary to cuff me." Marshall sighed. "He didn't even bleed." It was a ridiculous statement and a violent one- as if what he had done was any less wrong because the man hadn't leaked crimson from his mouth like Mary had. Abigail half gasped, ultimately scoffing while recoiling in surprise. "That bastard kicked her with a steel toed boot." He growled under his breath to himself, almost forgetting the presence of his ex-wife leaning on the table.

"That doesn't make what you have done excusable." Abigail answered to his mumble. "That was uncalled for, Marshall." She hopped from the table, taking a seat in the chair opposite him. "You're lucky Stan got you out of the trouble you were in." She glared in his direction, watching his unhappiness climb up and down in levels of annoyance and pain. The detective raised her eyebrows. "I get that Mary is important to you, but assaulting a criminal restrained to a chair is completely inappropriate. Is that clear?"

"I'm not a child. I get it." Marshall Mann answered through a clenched jaw. He stood up. "Let me out of here, Abs." He demanded in the politest manner possible, stepping toward the door.

"Why are you in such a hurry, huh? Sit back down, we can chat." She smiled mockingly, her eyes following him back to his seat.

"Abigail, I understand that there are some things we still need to work out, but Mary…"

"It's always Mary, Marshall. If you recall that's why we've ended up this way." She looked far off into the distance dramatically and he couldn't help but roll his eyes and huff loudly at the ridiculousness of this situation. She didn't have to understand or accept it, even if the situation he was in deserved no compassion.

"You cannot blame her for this relationships fallout." He replied defensively. "It is not entirely her fault; you are more than aware of that." He spat. "You clearly have to say something to me, Abigail. This bitterness cannot be just because of Mary." Marshall couldn't pay full attention to any of the red heads complaints. But, one stuck out more than the rest, and she stood, breathless and angry her hands on her hips gazing down upon him with questioning, furious eyes.

"It's just a slap in the face, Marshall! I lose our baby and then you go running to _Mary_!" She yelled.

"That is _not _what happened!" He hollered back, now standing, they were very close- face to face, closer than they had been in months.

"Then what the hell happened? Hmm? How come after all of these years, you just accidentally fell into _her _arms, just give me a good reason!"

"You were gone. Just off, somewhere other than where you had been. And no matter how far I reached, you were still so far away." His bottom lip trembled. "You acted like you were the only one completely thrown by that loss, Abigail. But, you weren't. And we tried, but there was no fixing us, we were broken and that's just the way it was. Mary was far after our breaking point, even if you don't like to admit it." Marshall took a step back.

"I always saw it coming; I guess I just imagined it would be me that strayed …." He could tell that was an immense lie. He just didn't realize in what aspect that was so, and he was shocked when she admitted what seemed to dredge her mind. "I did, Marshall. I did stray. But it was long after you did. And I didn't love him" She sighed. "I can't be mad at you for cheating." She wiped away some tears. "But I am angry you took to a relationship with Mary with a snap of her fingers."

"_Snap of her fingers_?" Marshall repeated. "She is the least interested in a relationship, Abigail. She does what she does on her own terms and I have no say in it. I've ruined her, I've tainted her. She isn't Mary anymore because of me…" He was shaking. "She is hurt, in ways that are irreparable. And it's my fault. So yeah, I do love her and that baby too. But, if she still loves me back and if my kid gets through the hell I've caused, it will be a miracle… and that hurts me more than the bitterness or resentment you feel toward me. And as for your infidelity, how dare you ever hold what you've held over my head for so long! How does it feel for the guilt and the anguish to fester inside of you?" He paused, watching her with the irritation flooding their surroundings. "I'm leaving now before I say anything else that I regret!" He slammed the heavy door to the interrogation area, heaving and angry. He felt bad enough leaving Mary with Jinx for as long as he had. And now, as the real events of his marriage, although now ended, came out into the open everything felt just a little more clearly and suddenly the guilt shrunk in his chest and after all of this time, he could breathe again.

Marshall looked down at his bruising fist, shuddering as he made his way through ABQ P.D. headquarters, past the stares of the other detectives.

_He shut the door, and unplugged the intercom in the room not bothering to shoot a reassuring glance to the spectators which included Abigail and a few others. _

"_Have you no sense?!" Marshall Mann screamed slamming his fist hard against the wall. "You harm a pregnant U.S. Marshal, not to mention, assault her with your grimy ass boot and then make a break for it?! How clueless can you be, Reggie?!" His voice was angry and a fourth disappointed. Reggie was so close to trial and about to put away some vast syndicates of a raging drug cartel and he just earned himself a one way ticket out of the program with this substantial gaff. _

_The man sitting in the chair only turned his head, as if unfazed by the Marshal's enraged reaction, ignoring him completely. _

"_So help me God if you don't explain yourself right this instant—_

"_I ain't explaining anything about no Whore U.S. Marshal." He spat._

_Marshall was never one to invade another's personal space, always respectful of anyone's personal bubble, but today he was close, so close his nose was nearly touching that of the large man's cuffed to the table. Williams looked unabashed, but his pores were wide and open, excreting oils and sweat. _

"_Listen, Reggie. Are you going to admit to assaulting Inspector Shannon, or am I going to have to beat you bloody for you to acknowledge your wrongdoings?" He hissed, now taking him by the sweaty collar. "You had no space for mistakes like these, Williams. And unfortunately for you, I have no qualms kicking you to the curb, so you best be thinking twice." _

"_Get out of my face, you Witsec bastard, maybe if you had come to take care of our business instead of sending your bitch of a—_

_Marshall didn't understand this feeling, this gut wrenching, and overpowering urge so of course he had no idea how to prevent what was coming. It was quick, the legs of the chair came out from under Reggie Williams, and the kick was swift and hard and fulfilling as the man sputtered, the table falling atop of him. The Chief watched the man cough and struggle for air the way Mary had, and then Abigail was entering, bewildered after watching the spectacle and dragged him by his arm from the room, shoving him to a few other detectives she ordered them to "take care of him". Naturally, they cuffed Marshall and he sat waiting for his ex-wife to release him, knowing all too well her first call would be to Stan in D.C._

His fist, his toes and his wrists ached, but his grip on the wheel was bound and he was ready to be back with Mary and away from this real world. He couldn't understand himself anymore, doing what he was doing, being so angry. He always thought love was the opposite of pain and anger. Marshall always figured- when he was young that the moment you saw the person you'd want to spend the rest of your life with, your heart would skip a beat and this undeniable jubilation would wash over you and everything would be so much clearer.

With Abigail, he felt… comfortable. Much different than love, but still an incredibly enjoyable feeling and it was hard wondering how different it would have felt with Mary, excruciating to think about what could have been for him. Now he had it and although it burned and stung and throbbed it was one of the most real feelings in this whole world, almost like a masochist he wanted more.

Marshall found his childhood idea of love all wrong. Everything was cloudy. Nothing was clear. The first time he saw Mary, he knew there was something special about the broad shouldered blonde with accusatory green eyes, but his palms didn't get sweaty and his gut didn't ache. Deep inside Marshall felt riveted, yet so confused. He was in love.

XXX

Mary sat up, straightening her blankets and wondering how she would play 'perfectly fine' for as long as Jinx was in the room. Marshall had only been gone for a few moments, not even out of the hospital, simply giving her relatives some instruction and updates, but it was almost forever. She seemed a little stronger, more awake, and ready for some epic acting. She attempted to cover her bandaged appendage with her sheets, but found it so awkward she just swiped them away. "Christ…" She whispered under her breath, feeling her bitten tongue and cheeks scream as saliva filled her wounds.

She was beginning to feel that broken collarbone more and more waiting for her mother to run in to shower her with a bunch of 'my poor baby's' and 'my little darling's'. Mary was more aware of the tightness in her chest, the swimming in her head and the churning in her stomach. She was never very patient or good at waiting.

"_Nine months? But, that's like a gazillions of years!" _

"_Yeah, partner- nine months, but that's as long as it took to make you and I waited."_

"_Make me? I thought it was in Jinx's tummy?" She stomped her foot, a pout on her face._

"_It is… umm. Well, you see." He propped the child on his knee and sat back in his rugged recliner. "The baby needs to grow… And, your mother is kinda, err, well…" He shifted, supporting her back so she wouldn't tip over. "It takes a long time, Partner. That's all you need to know."_

"_But, it's too long!" Mary whined. _

"_Yeah, honey… I can't make it go faster, though- be patient." The man said softly, brushing aside her tangled hair._

"_I don't want to wait."_

"_We'll wait together." He smiled. "That baby will be here before you know it." He pinched her nose which made her giggle and placed her feet back on the carpeting. "Run along, partner."_

"Oh darling!" Jinx rushed over, gesticulating in every direction. "What the hell happened?"

Mary rolled her eyes, knowing all too well that was probably one of the things Marshall had instructed her not to say and sighed before answering with fake wellness, fixing her shakiness as best as she could. "I'm f-ine. Just a little roughed up. I should back on my feet in n-o time." She was lying, to her mother and herself. There was no way- no way- she would be blinking her eyes without Marshall on her tail and a doctor hovering over her.

"Honey, look at you!" Jinx, grabbed her free hand, ignoring her left side at all costs. "Who did this to you?"

"Some dirtbag. It's fine, really." Mary could feel exhaustion already sweeping through her body. The effort was too much, and her mother was only getting started.

"You know I've never liked that job of yours…"

"But, it's what I love Mom, so you have to deal with it!" Mary finished, about to be flustered, but the sporadic wailings of the monitor proved the human in the works didn't appreciate it when she worked herself up so she calmed down. Jinx seemed to notice and lightened up a bit.

"Thank goodness you're okay!" She planted a gentle kiss on her daughter's forehead. "Do you need anything? A…" The dark haired woman stopped herself, realizing there was nothing she could do for the blonde in the bed, feeling a little foolish she took a seat in the empty chair just feet away. Close enough so her fingers could remain intertwined in Mary's.

"Ma, I'm just tired…" She began, but Jinx interrupted.

"Then you rest!" She insisted, smoothing her blankets and working around wires and tubes. "You rest, rest rest!" Her mother let out a nervous giggle, blushing a bit before settling comfortably in her place. "I love you sweetheart." She mumbled. "Now you just rest." She repeated.

"I really appreciate the enthusiasm, mom. But, demanding politely in triplicate doesn't make me any more obedient to your commands." Mary furrowed her brow. That was so Marshall of her to say. He was rubbing off so subtly, she shook her head focusing on Jinx who was about to respond.

"Sorry. You know I can't stand it when you feel this way…" She was near real tears.

"Mom, I feel… ugh, f-fine." Mary unclutched from her mother's hand, feeling the jabbing in her ribcage. "Such a tiny kid and still…" She mumbled to herself.

"That was the least convincing thing you've ever said to me…"

"Yeah… sorry. Uncomfortable is all." She replied, feeling a little breathless.

"How far along are you, honey?" Jinx asked. Mary raised an eyebrow; this was the first time since her mother found out that she had asked her any questions about the baby. She seemed to still be recovering from the wall Mary had built during her pregnancy with Norah.

"Twenty-two w-eeks." She sputtered slightly, holding her arm in place as the words tickled the back of her throat. It was becoming so surreal, the idea of it, Norah understanding a little better every day, Marshall being there and her wanting him there. This was her last field assignment before she was confined to the WITSEC office and now Marshall had an even bigger reason to baby her as she approached her third trimester. And she knew very well that Marshall would insist on taking the blame, even after she told him how she lost her own temper- the one thing he had told her not to.

"And everything's fine?" Jinx pried gently. "Nothing is out of sorts…" She drifted off trying to read Mary's expression, afraid to upset her.

"Besides the busted shoulder, yeah everything is as it should be." Mary supplied relief in her tone as she finally said this out loud. She scratched her nose as it went silent.

Jinx cleared her throat. "Brandi is going to bring Norah over around three."

"Oh, good." She was caught off guard. Should her little girl really see her like this? Of course, she thought, otherwise she won't get to see her for months. But, what kind of troubles will it cause her daughter if she saw what happened when mommy went to work? The idea sent chills down her spine and her teeth chattered for a second, realizing the time was approaching where her baby girl wasn't clueless anymore and the questions- although coming in gigantic spurts now- would be coming in steadier waves. About her work, about Marshall… Mary wasn't feeling so ready to pretend anymore and involuntarily let a droplet slide from the corner of her eye, which didn't go unnoticed by Jinx.

"What's wrong, honey?"

"I'm just…. Overwh- whelmed." Mary wiped at her face with her hand and her fingers.

Jinx didn't say a word, just wore a frown on her face, solemnly caressing Mary's arm, unable to reassure, hoping for Marshall or even Brandi bearing Norah a little early, but she wasn't so lucky. She sat there, unsure of what to say, soothing her daughter with 'shhhh's' and hums. Apparently, it's exactly what the upset woman needed, because a few moments later she was fast asleep her eyes red and puffy her cheeks pink to match.

XXX

"Hey…" Marshall's hand grazed her arm. "Wake up sleepy head, we have a guest."

"Bug?" She croaked, forcing her eyes to focus on the blonde little girl with the fist in her mouth. She had this habit from infancy and it reappeared every now and then when the girl was moved by a foreign emotion, usually discomfort.. Adorable to some, but unnerving to Mary who imagined everything else that had touched that little hand of hers throughout the day. But, she had no ambition to scold; she wanted to be close to her kid. And having Marshall nearby made it even better.

"Ma?" Norah asked sheepishly, as if the woman in the bed couldn't be her mother. As if this Mary was just some haggard shell of what she once was. "You gots a boo- boo?" She asked in a mumble.

"Yeah, Bug, I have a boo-boo." Mary smiled the slightest bit, the muscles in her chest tightening as she held her breath to try to stopping her eyes from draining the tears that were threatening to cascade down her cheeks.

"You bwoken?" Marshall shifted the child in his lap, uncomfortable at the phrasing, but not daring to interject in the first communications the girl was having with her mother in what felt like too long.

"Mhhmm, just a_ little_ broken. I'll be better in no time." This was the second lie from her mouth today.

"Why you here?" Norah was unfamiliar with hospitals and the walls of white and having been too many times in this past year of her life, she knew it didn't mean smiles and lollipops. She was suspicious.

Mary watched the shift in the man holding her daughter, seeing the horrified, guilty expression corroding his handsome, tired features. She softened.

"Well Nor, uhh, you know there's the baby and he's so tiny the doctors have to make su-re…. he doesn't get sick in my tummy." She attempted to sit up, but halted the movement, for a loud groan would have escaped her throat and she didn't want to startle her little girl. Marshall nodded, gulping, but stayed silent. "Here, come here, come sit with me." But, Norah recoiled, getting further from her mother instead of closer. "Really, you won't hurt me." Mary patted the small space to her right, her heart sinking in her chest at the child's reluctance.

Marshall stood up, Norah gripping his shirt with her tiny hands for dear life as he lowered her to the bed. Her butt hit the sheets and he stepped back. It was quick- she settled in, realizing Mary wouldn't explode with her gentle company on her blankets. She looked up with her big, brown, round eyes, the only feature of hers that somewhat resembled Mark. Her little paw rose to Mary's mouth and she rubbed away a few specks of dried crimson from the corner of her mother's mouth. She grinned sweetly, grabbing Mary's fingers of her right hand. "All better mom?" She shrugged in question, staring innocently to her mother's gaze.

Marshall chuckled lightly from their side and Mary couldn't help but do the same. "Yeah, Bug. Better- All better." She smiled.

**Sooo, a lot going on, my apologies. Hope you enjoyed. **

**Please review and tell me what you think or what you want to happen!**


	23. Chapter 23

**Hope you enjoy this chapter! Sorry I've nearly stopped, but let me see if I can make it up to you this week! **

"No, Marshall. That kitchen set! She loves that one that Riley has! Oh, and grab her a new tee-ball mitt and a bat!" Mary adjusted the blankets on her lap, holding the phone to her face with her shoulder. Her left side was still iffy, movement not the easiest of things to be doing. Her sweatpants clung to her legs and her t-shirt lay on her seemingly ever expanding gut.

It was Norah's birthday tomorrow. And there was an all too good of a chance she wouldn't be home to celebrate it with her. The baby was making this all but easy. Her shoulder was healing on track, but the little being, twisting and turning in her womb didn't take well to any normal, Mary- related stress. Mary had been hospitalized for the first two weeks with injuries regarding the Reggie incident and it had slowly escalated to 'whenever it seemed safe' rather than an actual set time. Now it had been an entire month confined to this white walled institution and her little girl was about to turn four. Four was big, she was heading off to school this upcoming September- she was growing up and even though it had only been a few weeks Mary felt like she had been missing it. Completely.

"_Is she taller?"_ Mary found herself asking ridiculously, her child looking bigger and bigger each time she walked into that hospital room clinging to someone's leg. "No- of course not." She'd mumble to herself as Norah would inch closer and finally climb to her side for a long awaited cuddle.

"Is she sleeping, Marshall?" Mary asked, shakily into the mouthpiece.

"_She looked fine, Mare. Relax, Jinx and Joanna are keeping her busy, putting her to bed on time, eight o'clock every night respectively. Now, do you want me to get wrapping paper, too?" _

"Yeah- Grab a few more things for her. A coloring book, maybe some new markers…" She was drifting, trying not to shed tears. She wouldn't admit how upset she was. No way. "She really needs a new night light, Marshall. Try to get her one- from you, so she'll take it and actually use it." She whispered. "I'm going to go, before another nurse comes in to holler at me for being on the phone again." It was a white lie. She was just veering off in another direction to focus on something else- Maybe the tiny pile of paperwork that Marshall brought her to keep her occupied. She opened the manila folder carefully, pulling out a few things to scribble on. Some stuff needed her signature, some were just reports, and others were just filler copies- things to read.

"Okay, Mare. I love you. I'll be back when I can."

"I love you too, Marsh. B-bye." She stuttered.

She shuffled through some sheets, glancing at some words unable to concentrate. She stopped, listening to monitors, hearing the steady screech of the kid's heartbeat and then the slower pace of hers. The groan of the door's hinges caused her head to shoot up and her unfocused attentions to shift. Doctor Reese clutched her clipboard, her normal OB grin spread across her face. It quickly faded and Mary didn't realize why until the wet dripped onto her work.

"Mary? What's going on, what are you feeling?"

"Nothing…" Mary sniffed. "It's just… tomorrow's my daughter's birthday… and her own mother won't even be there." She dropped her head to her hand. "What kind of mother misses their daughter's_ fourth_ birthday?" Was there really anything special about it? Maybe not to anyone else, but to Mary, it marked the fourth anniversary of her true happiness. For four years, tomorrow, she's known what it's felt like to really and obviously have great love for another human being.

"Ohh, honey. I'm sure Norah will understand." She reassured, patting Mary's leg. Of course Mary less than appreciated the gesture stiffening with the touch. "I'll get you home as soon as I can, and you can have another bash with your little girl." She grinned again, this time setting her clipboard down on the counter and slipping on a pair of gloves. "Now, if you don't mind, can you lift your shirt?"

Mary rolled her eyes, pulling up the t-shirt with her right hand, exposing her bare belly.

"A lot of movement?"

"Like you wouldn't believe." Mary snorted, yawning from a restless night, because the kid obviously didn't know the difference between mom wanting sleep and mom wanting reassuring fidgeting. Apparently, when she was being completely still and deafeningly silent it seemed an 'okay' time to play kickball with Mary's internal organs. How she hated being pregnant. But, for Marshall she put on a grin, pretended to like every nudge, flutter and feel. It was getting hard; she couldn't help but think if she weren't pregnant, she'd be home for her Norah's birthday. "It hurts sometimes…" Mary whispered, shakily.

"That's normal. Especially when you've suffered a traumatic injury, it's not so much the baby causing you pain, but your shoulder." She smiled again. Mary could hit her. "I'll come back tomorrow, take another look." She winked and rolled from her spot, snapping her gloves off of her hands. She disappeared out the door.

Mary sighed. What to do?

Then the door opened again. "Jesus!" Mary shouted, startled. And then her brow furrowed. "Marshall? I thought you-

"_I _thought you needed a little pick me up, so I shot over to Mark's and grabbed her for a little visit." He nudged Norah into the room further and she showed her front teeth in the toothiest grin Mary had ever seen on her face.

"Mommy, guess what?" She giggled.

"I don't know, what Bug?" She asked, motioning to the bed. Marshall grabbed her by her armpits and plopped her at Mary's side.

"It's my birwthday, tomowwow!" Norah replied, planting her ear on Mary's tummy, waiting for a thud to look back up.

"It is?" Mary teased. "Well, then! What does my Bug want?"

"Welllllll…" She put her index finger to her dimple, as if in deep thought, her eyes twinkling jollily. "I wanttt…." She looked up at Mary with a sweet expression. "I want_ you_ to come home."

Mary's heart broke in two. "Well, Bug…" She whispered. "Mom has to stay as long as the doctor wants me to." She gulped. "And I'm really sorry about that." Mary swiped away a tear. "I love you so much, Norah…" She squeezed her with her right arm.

"I knows Mommy.. I's gonna be sad." She said with a final frown.

As always, the little girl was snoozing in twenty minutes time, gripping Mary's shirt with her soon-to-be four year old hands.

"Marshall, I feel terrible…" Mary whispered her bottom lip giving her no leeway to lie.

"What's wrong, do you feel sick?" He stood up taking a step closer to Mary.

"No!" She reassured annoyed. "I feel fine. I just…" She sighed, brushing a fingertip gently across Norah's forehead… "Don't want to miss Norah's big day… That's all…." She wanted to stop talking, because all she was doing was making everything sound so much worse than it was. And Marshall already felt guilty enough. He had come to her every single day, waiting for something even she had no clue was supposed to happen, happen. And he held her hand; assured her in every way he could think, brought Norah to her whenever he could. He was more than she deserved, why couldn't he understand that?

"Don't worry." He said, caressing her cheek. "I'll take care of it."

XXX

Mary stepped into the house, her legs wobbling with anxiety and slight excitement. Norah, for all the little girl knew- would have a mommy-less birthday party, surrounded by everyone but her maker. She could have kissed Doctor Reese this morning, coming in with her usual annoying grin, stating. "You're all set." Mary almost didn't understand, and then she stressed "Taking it easy." And Mary realized it was condescending doctor talk for. "You can go." And then she actually did kiss Marshall, nearly growing wheels and to drive home herself. She was relieved to be set free from wire and cable, tubes and monitors, mobile and semi-independent aside from every other step being a little off balance having to do with her impaired left side. The cars in the driveway were plentiful, Mary's mini-van boxed into a corner, collecting dust, Marshall's SUV at the very end as they had driven that vehicle home. Jinx's convertible was parked in between Mark's new civic and Brandi and Peter's oversized four-door, which was obviously not meant for only a three person family. Mary imagined that Norah had to be reeling with anticipation at the sight of each and every ribbon, bow and gift bag, bubbling with joy knowing she'd be tearing through the bright- colored wrappings in due time.

Even as Mary entered, the little girl barely noticed the so very noticeable blonde, nearly busting buttons off of her old maternity top as she maneuvered gingerly with the bulky sling and wound tight bandages toward the living room. Norah was too preoccupied with the two tiered, orange and white frosted cake on which her name was spelled in fondant Legos. The adults were the first to realize the unexpected guest, but Mary was too focused on her daughter she didn't pay any mind to Brandi and Jinx practically bursting their brain stems at the sight of her. Mary could see the idea in her little girl's eyes even before the grubby little finger was making way to the frosted edge of the birthday delectable. "Bug, don't you dare go touching that cake until you blow out your big girl candles!" She scolded the caught off guard toddler playfully, causing her to whirl on her right heel in surprise and direct her eyes to the towering lady whose voice her little ears had perked up to. Norah didn't pay mind to the excited squeals of her aunt, or her grandmother, her father nor her Uncle, but only to Mary's beaming face.

"Ma?" The girl said, chewing on the tiny nail of her index finger. "I thought you was nevva comin' home!" She giggled. And now her four year old feet were flying across the tile of the living room floor. Mary braced herself for the oncoming tiny freight about to collide with her side and plopped onto the couch to catch the delighted kid just in time. She rocketed into her, causing the little one in the making to squirm in response. But, they quickly settled as Norah climbed to Mary's lap and her heart rate calmed to a steadier beat than it had in weeks. The blonde child looked in every direction at the family in the room, realizing this hadn't only been a surprise to her, but the whole clan.

"Why is everyone looking at me like that?" Mary questioned finally, sounding as normally fed up as she always did.

Marshall chuckled, sitting on the arm of the sofa, putting a hand on Mary's right shoulder as Norah rested her head on his thigh. She warmed inside, looking at her mother like a child caught in the act of being happy because of their mischief.

"Well honey…." Jinx began, approaching slowly. "We weren't expecting you…" She continued, a smile spreading across her pink glossed lips as Brandi followed her lead and nodded in agreement.

"That doesn't give you the right to stare at me like a circus act!" Mary replied. "Now Bug, how about some presents?" Mary deflected.

Suddenly her heart flew wildly and the baby churned in response. She had a feeling she had—had her last wind of joy until this kid joined them for their own birthday celebration.

**Hmmm? What's in store for Mary and Marshall? I don't know, stay tuned!**

**Please review with any ideas or opinions!**


	24. Chapter 24

**New Chapter! I think I'll be ending this by chapter 30, but that's still a long while away. Sorry if this chapter is so short- Enjoy anyway!  
**

The new sling wrapped around her stomach, and it needed adjusting every day. And Marshall was doing everything in his power to convince her that she wasn't getting bigger way too fast. Mary kept insisting it was because she was sitting around all day for too long without a single sheet of work, but he wouldn't be giving in about WITSEC, she had more than a feeling about that.

Norah was behaving very well and Mary couldn't help but feel guilty about it. Norah understood better than Mary could have hoped. She understood how much Mary couldn't hop up and jump around like she used to. And how Mary couldn't stomach pistachio ice cream, the kind Norah had strangely taken a liking to since the night Marshall spoon-fed it to her a few days before her second birthday. Norah kindly nodded her head and did whatever she was told, obeying Marshall a little better than Mark sometimes which Mary knew would never blow over well with Mark if he ever saw it happening the way she did.

Jinx was on her constantly. Over whenever, bringing unwanted Ragu radiating lasagna. The smell of tomato- mainly tomato sauce got Mary's stomach in a stir, a raging, rumbling mess which would inevitably climb up her esophagus and force its way out of her all but approving mouth. Of course, pizza- extra sauce seemed to be the little girl's favorite fast food.

Stan called when he could, giving updates on Lia. However, Lia called every night to give her—her own version and Mary didn't have the heart to tell Stan, because neither knew of the other's contact with her- it seemed Stan was taking on a heavier workload after the whole accident and it was taking a toll on the both of them. Lia complained of how she never saw him. Whenever Mary was on the phone with either one of them, it felt like the Bluetooth was chewing her ear off. She had her own troubles to deal with, but she hadn't the audacity or the nerve to let even Marshall know, so she wouldn't be letting people states away in on her problems.

She had just begun those pesky Braxton Hicks contractions. Every false tightening of her uterine walls had her heart in her throat, and Marshall in a gigantic, Doctor Reese dialing mess.

He was lying down on the sofa one morning, dozed off with Norah- cheek squished against his chest, her four year old hands filled with the collar of his slightly unbuttoned dress shirt. Mary had fallen asleep in the bedroom, a solid rock unmoved by Norah's pleads for her mother to tuck her in because of a nightmare. She vaguely remembered Marshall's soft hushes and the silhouette of him taking the child into his arms and promptly, but quietly leaving the room to let her rest. Mary sighed, this scene so familiar to her, she could almost feel the light dribble of drool that would touch the bare skin near her collar bone and the pressure of Norah's little body against her stomach, those little fingers clutching Mary's sides. She had always felt like a giant next to her daughter, grounded and steady, all knowing and powerful in the loveliest of ways. The memories tickled her, but once back to reality, stung and screamed in an unbearable manner.

"Marshall?" She whispered, touching his shoulder with her right palm.

He came to, opening his eyes as if having slept so soundly and been completely refreshed. "I'll tell you, this little whippersnapper is a tiny heater." He smiled. "My apologies, Mare for not returning to bed last night." Marshall began rubbing the girl's back, rhythmically in a circular motion. "She had a nightmare."

"I know." Mary responded abruptly. "She has them when she gets a new nightlight." She added, sitting on the arm of the sofa, wondering if that was intentionally to hurt his feelings, seeing as he had just purchased her a new one.

"Oh." Marshall sighed, sitting up with the child in his arms. He stood up, glancing back at Mary. "You okay?" He asked studying the features of her, his heart racing wildly- he still had no way of telling if her demeanor was her normal petulance, or a façade . "Is there something wrong?"

"No- No, of course not. Go put Norah in her bed, draw the shades so the light will filter in and she won't be afraid." She shook her head, cringing at a cramp in her side and at her aching shoulder. "Really, Marshall, do it!" She ordered crankily when he just stood there for a few moments as if she was going to change her mind.

As he disappeared down the hallway, she let herself carefully slide to the cushion of the couch, cozying in. She rested her arm on her bulge; the kid moved the slightest bit, shoving her from the inside. "Whatever, kid." Mary muttered, her hand falling beside her in surrender. She liked the reassuring flit of their little foot, but, they seemed to dislike it if she felt the urge to rest her hand on her own waistline. Usually, her hands remained at their sides. Only Norah could effectively communicate with the forming tot without Mary getting kidney kicked and for that, Mary felt warm.

Marshall reappeared, ruffling his own hair. "I should probably get going, huh?" His face expanded in a goofy grin. "The job waits, but I am so absolutely disappointed to have to depart."

"Is that poetry or something?" She mused, propping her feet onto the couch.

"No, simply my own prose." He replied, picking up a toy from the floor.

"Cool. What's the case for today?" She asked shifting to cause less pressure to be on her back. Marshall didn't like talking about work with her. And she was less than thrilled that he wouldn't, because she would give anything to move again, anything to find an excuse to head to work. Lately, it had been tense between them. He had taken a lot away from her, work and now, Norah was even slipping through her fingers.

"Nothing too specific." He answered. "A case regarding a former witness, a re-evaluation if you will."

"Who's that?" She inquired, sitting up as she realized he was hiding something from her.

Marshall sighed. "Kristi-

"The _Nazi?_ You and Chaffee's old case?"

"Yes, Abigail will have to be present in regards to this _re-evaluation." _

Mary raised her brow, knowing very well Abigail couldn't be in on the WITSEC huzzah. "What _re-evaluation?_" She prodded.

"I suppose she didn't feel as obligated as we thought to turn over her new leaf." Marshall sat on the end table deciding to appease her, for she hadn't yet overreacted of the news of Detective Chaffee pushing back into the picture. "She seems to have slipped back into her old, anti-Semitic ways, it's unfortunate really."

"You know what's unfortunate?" Mary asked, cocking her head to one side. "It's the fact that Abigail can walk in and out of your life and you don't even bat one of those perfect, manly eyelashes of yours." She said angrily. "And you were going to keep that from me, weren't you? Christ, Marshall!"

"Mary, calm down. I was not lying to you, I didn't intend to hurt you. Abigail is only in my life on a professional level." He reassured, reaching for her cheek, but she pulled away.

"Marshall, I think I need time to think." She whispered.

"I can give you time- I have all the time in the world." He said shrugging honestly.

"Good. Because, I don't know how much I'm going to need." She muttered. "You better not keep Chaffee waiting."

"I do wish you'd see this from my perspective." He sighed. "I am not angry, or afraid to give you some time alone. I love you, and yes- that's scary. But, that means, I'd do anything humanly possible to make you understand that. This is work, Mary. And if Abigail chooses to continue her career in Albuquerque, we have no right to jump in on that. Our differences have been sifted through and they've festered and now it's time to move on. And I've chosen to move on with you. So, I'll give you as much time as you need, as you think you deserve." Marshall Mann stated, standing up straight. "And one more thing—

"What more could you possibly have to say?" She interrupted.

"You can have your time, but don't even let the thought of running away cross your mind. That's not an option for you anymore." He said adamantly, pointing to her busted arm and protruding belly.

"I told you not to keep Abigail waiting." Mary repeated forcefully.

"You call me when you're ready." He replied, taking his jacket from the arm of the couch which he and Norah had been using as a head rest. And then, Marshall was gone, leaving a sullen wake quietly out the door and down her driveway.

She sat up, realizing what she had just done. She was pro at pushing people away, even when she needed them the most. Especially now, pregnant, and practically useless. It was somewhere between ten and twenty minutes into her pity party, that her cell phone rang.

_Mary?!_

"Yeah, Stan? Everything okay?" She moved too quickly and nearly crumpled back to the couch.

_The baby is coming and she's early, but she's coming! _

"Where are you?" Mary couldn't tell whether he was panicked or excited.

_On my way to Lia. I don't think I can do this, Mary. We've been through so much- if anything happens… _The sound of his whimpers almost sent her over the edge.

"Stan, I can't help you much…. I'm holed up in my own house, there's no way I can fly." She answered slightly less calm than before. "Let me get, Marshall!" She took a sharp breath in, realizing she was riling herself up. "Marshall will come- he'll come! I'm calling him right now!"

_Mary, you don't—_

But, the phone had already been hung up and she was already dialing Marshall.

**Hope you enjoyed! Any idea what's going to happen next? **

**Please review and tell me what you think or want to happen! **


	25. Chapter 25

_**Here's the next installment of Her Moment of Weakness! Thank you for reading! Thank you for sticking with it! The next few chapters should be awesome if I play this right!**_

_**Please enjoy!**_

Mary had watched Marshall board the plane to Washington D.C. one week ago. Since then, she had ditched the sling from her shoulder and moved on to just being gentle with her arm. Slowly, she was getting everything back, her movement, Norah, and that overwhelming heartache that had made itself known in her chest since Marshall departed. Mary hadn't had the gull before he left to apologize, and she hadn't been able to face her own fear of admitting she needed him around.

Brandi had spent the last few nights with her, and Mary was about to pull her hair out of her scalp if she had to force one more conversation about the weather into an awkward silence during a commercial break. "Listen, Squish." Mary began. "I think I can handle everything here." She smiled meekly.

"Oh. A-are y-you sure?" She questioned, shifting on the couch to face her seemingly very pregnant sister.

"Yes. I am more than capable of taking care of Norah, and Marshall can't be staying in D.C. for much longer!" She countered logically. "I have my arm back, my doctor has been semi- less annoying than usual about 'taking it easy'. Really Brand, I think I need to get back into the swing of things before this kid makes their debut in a month and a half." Mary forced a somewhat thankful and sympathetic glance at her little sister. "If I need anything I'll shoot you a text or call you! I'm a big girl, squish!"

"Mary I-

"I swear, I can do this by myself! Norah's my little trooper; she can help me if I need it. And she knows your number and can easily dial the phone if anything goes wrong- which nothing will! I feel like an invertebrate. All I want is some control! Just _some_!"

"Okay. But, if the slightest twinge of doubt overcomes you in any way, you absolutely _need _to call me!" Brandi pointed a menacing finger at the busty blonde.

"Cross my heart, Squish." Mary lied through her teeth.

She huffed. "Fine." Brandi gave in biting her lip. "But, I'm coming by tomorrow!" She warned. "It's late, so I'll get my things when I come to check on you! I'll be back at four-thirty and I'll make you dinner!" She paused at the door, but only shook her head. "Bye."

"Bye!" Mary called from the couch. It was a most exciting urge that had come over her as the door clicked shut. She waddled to lock it, and then grabbed her cellphone from her pants.

It seemed the phone rang louder and louder with each passing moment, screaming in her ear as she awaited the warm sound of his voice to fill her ear drums.

"_Hey Mare, everything all right?" _

"Yeah!" She responded as if surprised he answered. "Uh- how's uh, Lia?" She furrowed her brow, blushing at the way she was already blundering the call.

"_Well, Lia's fine. She's crawling through labor because of drugs and they're feeding another medication to mature the baby's lungs into her I.V. How are you? And Norah?"_

" I'm fine. Brandi's been chatting my ear off, and been on my back- so it's just like you're home…" She laughed a little. "I- well… I miss you." Mary didn't even believe herself, and the stunned silence over the phone was enough to have her apprehensive. She nearly convinced herself that he had found some hot brunette in the Northeast.

"_I miss you, too. I just want you to know…"_

"Marshall, please… I really—she gasped, dropping the phone, hollering as a bout of scorching, stabbing fireworks filled her gut. Mary barely collected herself before she grabbed her cell from the ground.

"_Mary? Mary?"_ She heard him calling as she pressed her phone to her ear. "_Are you okay? MARY!?"_

She took a deep breath. "Sorry, it slipped out of my fingers!" She fibbed. "Don't get your panties in a wad." Mary looked down at her stomach and bit her lip.

"_Sorry, perhaps I am just a little paranoid due to the recent events." _He let the panic flood from his tone.

"Yeah! That's it…" She whispered to herself. "When do you think you'll be getting home? I mean, does it look like Stan has things under control? Or…" Mary was already restless, wanting nothing more than the past couple of minutes to be untrue, but as always the fates were against her.

"_I can't be too sure, Mare. I'd much prefer to be home with you, but Stan is two steps away from stumbling over the edge and I don't think him being a first time Dad is helping any."_

"Well, you're a first time dad too!" She bit her lip. Why had she just said that? She didn't say things like that! "I mean, you know how it feels…" Mary muttered, pressing her elbow into her recovering side. She sat up, squeezing her phone tighter in her grasp.

"_Yes, Mary. I know that very well. Unfortunately, Stan is a little more nervous than I am. He hasn't had his time to adjust. You have to remember this child is six weeks early. Most father's cannot mold themselves for fatherhood until the labor and delivery because that's when it gets very real."_

"Yeah, Marshall? Don't spew that bull at me!" Mary shifted to the floor, pressing her back against the couch.

"_It is most certainly the truth! I've felt it before. I changed that day Norah was born." _Mary exhaled into the mouthpiece unintentionally, her concentration no longer on Marshall. "_Mary? Are you feeling okay?"_

"Yeah! Of course. I'm just having one of those goddamn Braxton Hicks contractions!"

She could practically hear the apprehension poisoning the quiet over the line. "_Alright, as always, soldier through it! I'll wait until it's over." _

She muffled a moan with her palm pressed to her mouth; the sound was one of annoyance more than pain. "It's d-done! See I'm fine! Now, back to Stan, what's wrong with Stan?" Mary questioned.

"_He's just a tad bit apprehensive. This is happening faster than it should."_

"I'll say…." She whispered under her breath.

"_What, Mare?_"

"Nothing, Marshall. I was just agreeing with you. It seems like only yesterday—Mary stopped again, but this time for a different reason. Norah stood watching her mother, sprawled out on the ground, rubbing her tired eyes.

"_Daddy? Jinx?"_

"_Partner! Go back to bed! Mom doesn't feel well, I'm just taking care of her!" _

_The dark haired woman nodded in agreement in the arms of her father, her protruding belly sticking from her abdomen while her body remained tense. It was a scary sight, and frightened the blonde little girl as another loud, piercing moan echoed through the bare walls of the house and back to her tiny ear drums. The lanky man sit on the couch, letting the woman squeeze his hand so hard you heard cracking underneath her grip. _

"_What's wrong with Jinx?" She replied to him, ignoring the lady writhing in pain._

"_Your mother is in labor. Do you know what labor is?"_

"_It sounds bad." She stated with a pout, her tiny feet glued to the hard wood floor in silent fear of the scene in front of her. _

"_It's not bad, partner, it just means…"_

_Another gut-wrenching holler bounced through the space around them, and then the small, blonde child began to cry. _

"_Mary, what is going on?" _He responded to the quiet in worry.

"Nothing, Marshall! Norah just woke up!" Mary gestured for the tiny tot to come near, but she stayed, feet planted to the hallway entrance.

"Ma, why you is on the floorw?" She questioned, pointing to her mother.

Mary thought for a moment. "Uh, Bug… Mom's so big, when I drop something it's hard for me to bend over—

"So you falled?"

"No! I didn't fall!" She replied, struggling to get to her feet and back onto the couch.

"Who ya talkin to?"

"_What was she talking about? Why were you on the floor?_" Marshall cut in.

"Marshall, I dropped the remote!" Mary lied, closing her eyes to compete against a shout that wanted to rise from her throat.

"Ma, can I talks to Marwshall?" The kid pleaded, causing Mary to smile. It was only sometimes she could pronounce his name, most of the time she snuck the impediment in. It no longer irked Mary, just made her feel warm inside.

"Of course, bug." She said, running her fingers through her daughter's tangled hair.

"Marwshall! Mommy don't have no big Band-Aid thing on her awrm no more!" The child called excitedly into the phone.

"_She doesn't? Well, Mommy didn't tell me that!" _Mary heard from the earpiece which Norah held away from her head- instead she pressed the _mouthpiece_ of the cell to her cheek. Both Mary and Marshall had attempted to teach her how a phone is usually held, but they had both failed. It was okay to Mary, though. It was entertaining to watch on nights like these where the hours just seemed to drabble on.

"Yeah, and Aunt Bwrandi slept ova with Ma!"

"_You don't say, Norah!" _There was a short pause. "_I have to ask you to do a big favor for me!"_

"What's dat?"She answered sweetly.

Mary leaned in to hear him better, but immediately shot back as the rocketing through her stomach screeched through her spine and down her legs.

"_You need to take care of your Mom for me, Nor. Help her whenever you can." _

"Okay… But, Marwshall?" She added shakily.

"_What?_"

"Are you comin home soon?" Norah looked about ready to cry, matching Mary's pained expression as the man tried to respond to the heartbreaking tone.

"_As soon as I can Norah. I'll be home as soon as I can."_

It was then that Mary found herself sliding to the ground again, observing Norah's face as it twisted into wonder. She shouted out, startling the small child so that her tiny fingers unwrapped from the phone. When it dropped the battery clattered across the room, disconnecting the call, and surely leaving the man in D.C. more worried than confused.

_**Please review and tell me what you think!**_


	26. Chapter 26

_**Hope you all enjoy this next installment of "Her Moment of Weakness."  
Slowly, but surely the new Shannon- Mann will be welcomed into this crazy world!**_

_**Thank you for sticking with this story! **_

_**Happy Reading!**_

Mary squeezed the arm of the couch as she slowly got to her feet. Her knees shook with nervousness and she was choking back tears, "Bug, pick that up for me please." She pointed to the ground where her battery, phone and case lay.

The little girl was kindly obedient and took the three parts, holding them between her tiny fingers and presented them to her mother. Mary grabbed them from her daughter's palm. "Ma?" She asked, her brow furrowed, her blonde hair tangled around her face. Her bottom lip protruded, "Are you okay?" She questioned, looking up at her with big brown eyes, glossy and full of sleepiness.

"Yes Bug, I'm fine. How about we get you to bed?" She replied as soothingly as she could, her voice quavering the slightest bit as she pieced her blackberry back together, her expression only partially involved in each situation. Mary jammed the power button on the cell, and sighed half in panic as the screen only flickered blue and then went black again. It was bound to happen eventually the way this phone had been treated since Norah was born, so it hadn't at all crossed her mind to scold the little girl. She shrugged, her heart now climbing into her throat, although she could only imagine how Marshall was feeling.

"But, I wasn't done talkin' to Marwshall." She pouted, itching at her belly over her star pajamas.

"I'm sorry, but my phone is broken and it's late. You have to go to sleep, we'll get Aunt Brandi to bring us to get a new phone tomorrow." Mary assured, running her fingers across Norah's cheek and then patting her on the back, "Now let's run along! Get your butt in bed!" The mother ordered playfully, getting a giggle from the blonde tot who had begun advancing toward her bedroom with a toothy grin on her face.

Mary took tiny, precise steps following the child to her room, which was still lit in orange. The blankets were pulled back and only needed to be tugged to cover her again, so there wasn't much bending in the fuss to kiss her daughter 'good night'. For that, Mary was grateful, as her back was beginning to cramp in a way she had never experienced, and everything was starting to become tighter the more she moved. She rolled her eyes and shook her head and attempted to console herself in hopes of finding this all to be her imagination. Mary went back into the living room and searched for the house phone that was out of its base as it always was. She could not find it, even after ripping the cushions from the couch and crouching down painfully to peek under every piece of furniture. Mary looked for it in her own bedroom and even in the bathroom. It was an odd feeling that overcame her, one of pain and confusion that rattled her mind so profoundly she found herself running hot, scorching water into the tub and she began to shed her clothes. It was a slow endeavor, delayed every now and then by a sensation of semi-overwhelming discomfort which she was still trying to ignore.

As the phone began to ring, she knew Norah was long into her adventures in dreamland and would not be fetching it for her. It stopped before she could get out of the bath, frustrating her entirely. But, the water seemed to be tricking her mind into believing the pain was subsiding so she hadn't the audacity to leave behind the pool of soothing, sudsy water and climbed back in.

Right now, even though her heart pounded, her body ached and everything seemed well out of her control, she felt strangely unsurprised. Perhaps it was the past events of this year that had prepared her for everything being less than easy, or somewhat unpleasant, but at this moment, everything bothered her, but none of it lingered the way it usually had. She knew it would be only moments before her sister came barreling through her front door, bewildered and panicky with Marshall on the phone the very same way, and she was ready to face it.

Another scary bout of whatever this was coursed through her stomach, up her spine and down her legs and she let out the slightest moan and adjusted herself in the bubbles, still awaiting Brandi's appearance as it would be. She refused to believe this was happening, burying herself in denial, she muffled a few of her shouts with a wash cloth that was nearby and rested her head against the tiled wall behind her, shutting her eyes.

She heard the front door close, but did not reach for her glock or worry about Norah as the familiar rasp of her sister's voice filled her ear drums, "Mary?" She called quietly, and Mary heard the hinges of her daughter's door squeak shut and Brandi's approaching footsteps.

It was an odd moment as she felt tears begin to stream down her face and she called calmly to the woman in the hall, "Squish?" Mary watched the doorknob turn and the young, blonde woman enter with worry etched in her face.

"Mary, what's going on? Marshall called me from D.C. with his feathers all ruffled over you hanging up on him." Brandi said annoyed and tired looking, but before she continued with her scolding, Mary couldn't help but let out a sharp exhale.

"I didn't hang up on him." She stated, "Can you get me that?" Mary asked pointing across the room at the red towel hanging from the sink.

"Are you okay?" Brandi asked, doing as she was asked.

Mary was sick and tired of hearing that phrase. She was almost hoping this kid would come out fast enough so that no one would ever ask her that again. She didn't like it, she didn't want to hear it and most of all she never knew how to respond to it, especially lately, because if she was being honest, she hadn't felt 'okay' in months. And it had nothing to do with Marshall or with Norah, it was her. She hadn't felt like herself since the moment Reggie had taken her down, because it hadn't only been her ego he had bruised, but her state of mind.

He had set off a fiery chain of fear that had spiraled into her taking it out on the only person she needed, and that was Marshall. It had been months of him standing up for her, being there for her, loving her and calming her and she felt like she had done nothing, but tear him away from the life he had so very much wanted only a few years ago. It was the past eating away at her, it had been all of those times she realized she would never be able to give him what he wanted and what he deserved and she had always handled it the same way, holding her feelings back because she was afraid. But, now she had him, and she wasn't sure what it was that had her scared to death, because he seemed happy and that had been the reason she had given him up those years ago, right?

Mary felt Brandi's eyes digging into her in anticipation, but all she could do was let out a loud sob, "No." She balled, "I am not okay! Marshall's in goddamn D.C., my phone is broken and I'm in labor, as we speak!" She cried, "I need Marshall!"

The sister hadn't a clue how to respond, so she did slowly, "I will get Marshall on the phone, but first, can I help you out of the tub?" Brandi asked.

Mary nodded, grabbing her sister's hand and then wrapping the towel around her body, covering her swollen middle which had caused this whole mess.

"Did your water break?"

"I don't know, I've been in the bathtub since the contractions started." She muttered as a pain worked its way around her stomach, they were still sporadic, but they were mind boggling, persistently in the same places, causing pressure in new ones. "Besides that only happens on TV." Mary added coldly.

"I'm going to call Marshall. You can talk to him while I put a few things together." Brandi said, taking her cellphone from her purse and hitting a speed dial. "Here, you take this and I'll just take care of some stuff."

She was surprised at how well her sister was faring. If any reaction Mary had been expecting a dramatic and long winded panic attack filled with blame and exaggeration, but as she never thought she'd have to admit, Brandi was growing up.

Mary listened to the ringing for a long while and her heart dropped when she thought she would only be hearing his voicemail.

"_Hello?!" _Marshall said into the phone hushed.

"M-Marshall?" She quivered, feeling nervous and guilty.

"_Mary? I've been trying to get a hold of you! What happened? I had to call Brandi in the middle of the night!"_

"Norah dropped my phone, and it's busted all to hell, then I couldn't find the—Mary gasped, but recovered quickly, "House phone…" She exhaled.

"_Is everything alright?" _He wondered sternly, Mary could practically hear him fidgeting.

"No." She said. " Nothing is alright. I want you home."

"_But, Mare you know I can't leave Stan." _He replied sadly.

"Marshall, I _need _you to come home. I can't do this without you." Mary whimpered, feeling around her hard stomach.

"_Do what?_" There was a short pause. "_Oh my God, Mary._" He stated in disbelief. "_Mary, you just sit tight, I'm getting the first flight back to New Mexico!_ _Stan will understand!_" He screeched.

Mary heard voices in the background and a panicked Stan shouting, _Go! Go, Marshall! _

"I don't know if I can do this." She whispered through a clenched jaw. "You were supposed to be here, doofus. Even I thought I'd have my dork in shining armor, now." She laughed uncharacteristically. "We, uh, we have to plan this better next time." She joked.

"_Yes, Mare. We will plan it next time._" Marshall answered softly and pleasantly. "_How far apart is your pain?_" He wondered, and Mary could hear him moving quickly, the air whipping against the mouthpiece of his cellphone and his shoes against the tile, he breathed quickly as he always did.

"It's pretty much constant, right now." She groaned leaning over the sink, spitting a few times to combat the discomfort in her lower stomach.

"_I want Brandi to bring you to the hospital. Mary, I know you don't want to, but they have to start to monitor your contractions, and keep an eye on the baby. He or she isn't due for another month, they'll be able to handle all the precautions."_

Mary sighed, "We don't even have names!" She yelled, bashing her fist to the sink's basin, "And you're not here." She repeated shakily, rubbing her sore shoulder.

"_I know. But, I __**will**__ be there, I will be. And we __**will**__ pick out names, we will."_ Marshall replied.

"Jesus Christ, this kid knew you were gone. God help us they're going to have my sense of humor…" She mused, grimacing, clutching the phone tightly in her hand.

"_I hope our kid is __**all **__of you." _Marshall stated, "_I love you, and I need you to hang in there for me. I would prefer nothing but remaining on the phone with you, Mare, but I'm about to get into the car. And the next time I see you, I might get to meet my son or daughter." _She could see him smiling through the phone.

"I-I love y-you." Mary quivered. She closed the phone, shouting and falling to the floor. Mary shook her head, "BRANDI!" she hollered, "Get in here, NOW!" Mary looked down at the puddle she was sitting in, "SQUISH!?"

It seemed Mary had forgotten her daughter was in the house in the midst of all the ruckus.

"Ma?" She cried, tears rolling down her cheeks.

"_Just get in the car, Partner!" He coaxed, opening the back seat to the little girl, "No fussing, we have to go!"_

_Jinx let out a most terrifying scream and the child only seemed to notice her mother's dampening lap and nothing else as she watched her father help her into the car. She buckled herself in. "Daddy, is Jinx okay?" She asked for the second time that night. _

"_Yes, Mom is fine; she's having a baby, Partner." He said calmly starting the car as Jinx squirmed in the front seat, chewing her bottom lip as beads of perspiration formed on her forehead and ran down her face. "You're going to be a big sister, soon." He said, "Very soon." _

"Bug, I am fine. This just looks scary." Mary lied. "Can I tell you something, because you are such a big girl now?" She asked, getting to her knees, pressing her back.

Brandi showed up from behind the little girl, "Mary?"

"Hang on a second." Mary ordered, "Bug," She grabbed Norah's shoulder gently, pulling her closer, "I promise I'm okay, it's just," She let out a yell she hadn't intended to and the blonde child recoiled in fear, "It's just, I'm going to hurt and that's okay." She tried to reassure.

"I thought it wasn't good to be hurted, why you always hurted?" She asked curiously, staring down at her mother worriedly, examining the towel which was the only thing covering her as she stared down at the pool of pink water her mother was kneeling in.

"No, you see, this is fine, because it just means you're going to be a big sister earlier than everyone expected." Mary breathed. "Is that okay? That you're going to be a big sister sooner than you wanted?"

Norah scratched her head. "Of course, it is Ma." She smiled, chewing on her finger.

"Then, we're going to drop you off at Aunt Brandi's with Uncle Peter and your cousin Riles and the next time you see me and Marshall, we will have a baby. Is that okay?" Mary asked the child like she had a choice, obviously nervous and feeling unprepared, she hadn't really talked to Norah about the baby's arrival and even their house hadn't been baby proofed yet. They weren't ready at all.

It seemed it was only Norah who was prepared. "Let's go, Ma!" She grinned, tugging at Mary's towel. She turned to Brandi, "Aunt Brwandi, I'm gonna be a big sister!" Norah cried shoving past her aunt and heading down the hallway.

And Mary had to smile.

_**Aw, Norah, only you can lighten your mother's mood…**_

_**But, Uh-oh, will Marshall make it to the birth of his baby? **_

_**Please check out my new fic, "To Pull at Your Heartstrings and Appease Your Imaginations" !**_


	27. Chapter 27

**Thanks for everyone who has been reading, reviewing and still alerting! I really appreciate the interest that has held even as this fic reaches its later stages. Three more chapters! I know, I'm stretching this out quite a bit!**

**I hope you enjoy!**

It was hard to breathe every now and then when they were in the car, she had brief bouts of claustrophobia, and had to crack the window to get the air flowing across her face to avoid getting sick in her own lap. Mary controlled her gasps as well as she could, wrapping her fingers around the arm of the passenger's seat, still attempting to feel in control in this uncontrollable moment. This 'natural miraculous experience' as some called it, was not feeling miraculous or at all natural as she shifted in her seat, hyped up an uncomfortable. But, it hadn't felt that magical the first time around either, she had been all but pleased at the lengthy, painful combustions she had felt that day in her gut. No one could have convinced her throughout her first go at pregnancy, absolutely no one- Marshall nor Jinx, nor Brandi- that a baby, small and helpless could ever win Mary's heart. It had been after that grueling night (arguing with her mother while wondering where Marshall could have been), when they coaxed her from her bed, and had forced her to walk on legs which seemed too much like jelly to balance with. She had taken those first steps after the birth while her insides did flips, disliking of movement so shortly after the trauma of spewing forth a tiny being from her innards. The story was self-explanatory in the long run, and to those like Delia and other co-workers, Mary had combatted their new found respect for her and ignored their comments regarding how hard it must be to have been a single mother.

When Norah hopped out of the car, Mary herself wanted to deliver the tot to Peter. The little girl grabbed her mother's fingers, hanging back, understanding too well that the taller Shannon woman could not move as quickly. Norah was light on her feet, trotting beside Mary with a sleepy smile pasted across her face and her overnight back hanging from her shoulders. When they had crossed the yard, and were making their way up the steps to the front door, it swung open and Peter looked up at her, perplexed, "Mary?"

She was slow to start, marveling at the completely calm three year old holding tightly to her hand, but he cleared his throat to find her attention and he said it again, "Mary?"

"Hey Petey, mind if I borrow your wife for a bit?" She was hunched over still, only really having arched her neck upward to make eye contact with him, like an old woman with a bad back she stood on the front steps with a crazy, yet dull glaze over her eyes.

"M-mary, uh…" He struggled for words while staring at his sister in-law. "why didn't Brandi?..." He glanced over the two Shannon's to spot his wife who was gesturing for him to hurry along.

"I'm in labor, Peter don't have a freak attack. Brandi said you'd have no problem taking Bug?" She asked, looking to him, and then back at the sleepy toddler.

"I- I know, it's fine, I already told her that, but I didn't expect you to come to the door!" He replied nervously, grabbing Norah from the step and pulling her into his arms, "Norah, say 'bye' to your mom! She has some—things to take care of!" He commanded softly, still uneasy as he observed Mary's every move.

The little girl managed a wave, but as Mary could plainly see, was too exhausted from the commotion for anything more.

"Thank you." Mary smirked meekly and then turned, but then stepped back up the first step again to plant a kiss on Norah's cheek, "You don't cause your Uncle Peter too much trouble, okay kid?" She said, flipping one of her daughter's locks of hair playfully and then making her way back to the car.

She opened the door, gripping the handle for a moment before she climbed in and then grabbed her sister's wrist, "Okay Squish, get me out of your driveway before I change my mind and cross my legs." Mary quipped, letting go of the petite blonde so that she could shift the vehicle. They slowly turned from the driveway and within second Mary was back to silencing her shouts of discomfort with her sleeve.

When they arrived, Mary refused to be wheeled in with a wheel chair and put up a giant fuss so Brandi would be discouraged from her persistence. As always she got her way, her knocking knees carried her slowly to the front desk to check in. Mary was practically bent over herself as she waited behind a ginger woman who kept her back toward them, the stranger's arms were crossed and she tapped her foot, the smell of a sweet perfume wafted through the air as an oscillating fan blew from the nurse's station and into her nostrils. Mary didn't bother to take notice of anything else beside the aroma of the person standing ahead of her, as she was too busy dealing with a new kind of pain rocketing up and down her legs. Mary stood up as straight as possible, and then turned to whisper to her sister, "Squish, I think I'm going to take a seat over there." She gestured to a lone waiting room chair, up against a back wall near an area unoccupied by the few people around her. A shelf of magazines was shoved into the space where she began to advance.

"Okay Mare," She replied hoarsely. "I'll get us all checked in." But Mary had already begun to make her way without her permission.

Mary attempted to maintain her usual alertness, but struggled. Nothing in the vicinity interested her enough to keep her attention, she remembered Norah's birth.

"_You did this twice? No wonder you drank!" _

And the pain seemed to be that bad again, but this time there had been no ambulance, there had been no masquerade of family members, Jinx was not there to step on her nerves and most importantly, Marshall was not present to _calm _her nerves. She felt weepy again, but was deterred by her body screaming and tightening in places that were causing her too much internal struggle. Mary couldn't help but think some of this had to be her mind playing cruel tricks on her, and she half convinced herself she was making it much worse than it was.

It was moments after this idea popped into her head that she let out another one of her shouts, catching the attention of everyone in the room. Her cheeks blazed with embarrassment, "Avert your eyes, for Christ Sake! It's not like I'm going to drop the kid this instant." She shuddered, not admitting that it certainly felt that way, and she leaned on the wall so that she faced the chipping paint rather than the staring bystanders.

She heard a voice from behind her which she would have preferred to have not. The Southern drawl bounced off the ceiling, twanging into Mary's ears, "Well, well, Inspector Shannon, I see you're making an untimely visit to the maternity ward this fine evening." Her voice was bitter and stingy of any emotion other than resentment.

Mary clenched the corner of the wall tightly, her knuckles cracked and turned white as she conjured up the strength to turn, and out of habit, cradled her left shoulder, "Abigail," She took a deep breath, "Surprise seeing you here." She attempted a friendly tone, not wanting trouble tonight of all nights, but she realized her sentence came out insinuating and harsh, and she cringed out of stupidity and pain. Mary was trying her damnedest to control any venom kicking to spew out of her mouth, "I'm kind of in the middle of something, right now," Mary spouted unintentionally, elbowing the magazine rack settled in the corner to combat the shocks zapping her senses and sights. Abigail was blurry, but Mary could see her jaw was snugly set and her expression was one not amused by her involuntary quipping.

"God sure has a funny sense of humor." Abigail replied, "One 'reformed' hooker came knocking on ABQ P.D's door and they sent her to me, I was surprised to learn she had gone into pre-term labor. I guess there must be something in the water." She spat coldly, referring to Mary in what seemed like disgust.

"Well, you know me, I'm a 'reformed' whore too, except I think your girl's last position paid more than mine does." Mary tensed, no longer experiencing twinges of agony for the time being. "Where is your streetwalker friend anyway, Abigail?"

The red-head stiffened up, "She was hauled off in a chair." She looked around and then watched Mary prepare herself. The Marshal could feel the sensation begin to burn across her stomach, and she shifted her weight against the wall in hopes of lightening the pyrotechnics in her gut. "No Marshall, tonight, Inspector?" Abigail wondered with her lips pursed and arms folded together.

Mary glanced over the woman's shoulder to see Brandi obtaining a clipboard and gesturing in her direction. She moaned, "Unfortunately, he was called away to D.C. a few days ago. It just so happens my uterus has impeccable timing," Mary inhaled, "My baby's premature Abigail and Marshall isn't here. Hell of a revenge you got, huh?" She joked with a grimace.

Abigail's arms uncrossed and she let them fall to her sides, and her expression softened dramatically, "Mary, I should tell you something." Her eyes glinted like ice, "I never once wished anything upon your baby." She sighed, "I only hoped that you'd understand the pain I felt, what I had to deal with when he was gone."

"Oh, believe me, Abigail. I felt it, even before you two had that pretty, white wedding of yours. I knew what it felt like." She whispered sadly, "But unlike me, other men will line up for you. Marshall is a good guy and he was stuck in between two situations that were both the right thing…"

"And he chose you…." Abigail huffed in remembrance.

"Yes. He did, because, for some odd reason, I was somebody's choice Abigail. You don't get what it's like to go through life never being somebody's choice." Mary stated firmly, her sister's face was confused and cloudy from over Abigail's shoulder as she approached them, and a wheelchair waited for Mary's occupancy just a few feet away.

She made her way to it in laborious and painful affliction, she crumpled into the seat and a nurse wheeled her around away from the Detective, who took moments to shout, "Best of luck to y'all!"

Mary knew she was being sincere, but she scoffed anyway, perhaps just to feel like herself for one more second before she became a panting, hot, sweaty mess. Brandi came up from her right side, "Marshall texted me." She said quavering a little, trying to keep up the pace with the woman pushing Mary along.

"Yeah Squish? And what did he say?!" The sister assailed with a hiss.

"He has a flight for 10:30." She mumbled.

"What?!" Mary questioned aggravation ravaging her tone.

"His flight is for 10:30 P.M." She repeated a little louder.

Mary's heart fell, sinking deep into her scorching tummy. She ran both of her hands across her scalp, her expression twisting, "That's another hour from now." She whispered, bottom lip quivering, "There's no way he'll get here."

"Marshall will find a way," Brandi reassured. "He always finds a way." She paused, watching her sister choking back her tears. "You know Mare, eventually, we're going to have to tell Mom you're in labor."

"I don't suppose we can wait a little longer?"

"How much longer do you want to wait?" She asked.

Mary was trying not to become angry, as talk of Jinx, especially in this situation had her blood boiling. Not that her mother hadn't been helpful when Norah was born, but the added stress of knowing she may have to listen to her dramatics regarding Marshall's absence had her skeptical to call her mother. "Really Mary, when do you want me to call her?"

"Jesus, I don't know, Squish! Maybe we could hold off until this kid's first birthday?"

**I hope you enjoyed! **

**Don't worry, I won't stretch this out too long! **

**Any questions? Comments? Thoughts? Concerns? **

**And my next question, Should Marshall swoop in at the last minute, or should I switch things up a bit?**


	28. Chapter 28

_**Here you go! Thanks in advance for reading! I love you! **_

_**Thanks for putting in your opinion, I'm glad to see a bunch of you wanted to be surprised! I hope I don't disappoint anyone!**_

_**Please enjoy!**_

"I estimate we have twenty or so more minutes of quiet until Mom gets here," Brandi said, entering the room just in time for Mary to let out a groan. "Well, maybe not quiet," She said, dropping her cell into her purse.

"I can't believe we had to call her." The blonde in the bed complained, "I barely have it together now, imagine when Mom gets here?"

Brandi let out a soft chuckle, "It won't be that bad. Mom was actually quite comforting when Riley was born." She took a seat in the cushy chair beside her.

"Yeah Squish? Comforting? Excuse me, but I specifically remember having to shoo her from the room when you hit ten centimeters. You were such a mess, I could barely handle it." Mary admitted this reluctantly, through pain, and perspiration running into her eyes.

Brandi shifted uncomfortably, "Well, afterward she was fine…" The younger woman defended weakly.

"Everyone's fine_ after_!" She hollered through a contraction which rattled her bones and threw her from thought for a few, short seconds, "_After_ there's a pudgy, pink human… before that there's just a lot of screaming, and," Mary cringed, "and, in _your_ case crying!" She exhaled.

Brandi sunk low in her chair from embarrassment. "Not everyone has the pain threshold of a cop, Mary," She replied stiffly.

"Don't get your tights in a bunch!" The sister answered, furrowing her brow. "The lady hooked up to tubes and wires can joke, can't she?"

"You? A lady?" Brandi teased, crossing her arms.

Mary let out a sharp sigh, and then pulled the sheets to cover her whole belly. "I have to remember you forget sometimes. I know that because you tried to make me sign Riles' birth certificate under, 'father'." She smirked at the vague memory of that day. The baby in her bassinet, curled together in her slumber, beautiful and new. Brandi had been all but ready to tell Peter that she had given birth to a little girl whom he had fathered. It was still rather fresh after her escape from the altar when Riley came screaming, and rasping like her mother, into this world. She had been lucky he was so madly in love with her, otherwise, that second go at their wedding would have never happened.

In the silence that followed Brandi's unwillingness to muse along with her, it gave Mary more time to remember. She had never liked doing that. For so many years, all that came to her mind were vast recollections of her father's negligence, criminality, and nights where Jinx lay passed out on the carpet. Her childhood had been one no woman would ever want to account, for it gave her so many excuses to feel unwomanly, and most un-maternal and wrong for having subjected Norah to the Shannon family ways. But, now, the memories began to ooze deep down into her very core and were replaced with remembrances of her daughter's light hearted giggling, the soft, precise lips of Marshall Mann and the relieving flutters in her tummy. He was slowly turning her around, to become one of those grotesque, stereotypical beings that, if she dared even think this way, were happy. Happy, she thought. She'd be much happier if he were here.

The ideas were vanishing quickly, dissolving from her thoughts faster than they had come, leaving nothing but overwhelming urges to howl. It had been two and a half hours in this hospital. Marshall had been aboard his flight for a majority of them, but her hopes were still running low, for the last time Doctor Reese had checked her dilation, she had been at six centimeters. The doctor also wasn't hesitant to remind Mary, that during her labor with Norah, the last four had been the homestretch and it probably wouldn't be too much longer.

Mary wished for lengthier agony, it would mean he had more of a chance. She just wanted him to have more of a chance.

XXX

She gripped at the metal railing of her bed, digging her heels into the mattress, and shielding her eyes from the fluorescent light. Sweat poured from every crevice of her body, she had refused Pitocin to speed things up, and would keep doing so as long as the baby could handle it. It didn't matter about her, although the attacks were pretty much constant now and even more unbearable to soldier through. She had thrown up a few times, and Jinx had gone to the cafeteria. Her mother had left as soon as the contractions had become less than a two minutes apart, because she could not fathom watching Mary suffering through prolonged periods of pain. Brandi was on edge as well, holding the bed pan in her shaking hands as her sister, red-faced, nauseous and stuck at eight centimeters retched on and on. She tried to negotiate, "Mary, Marshall wouldn't want you to—

"This isn't what Marshall wants! This is what I—She fell silent, pursing her lips, and choking back bile from her throat and tears from her eyes—"This is what _I _want," she whispered through clenched teeth. "I just want him here."

"Alright," Brandi replied quietly. "I understand."

Mary wrapped her arms around her middle, and was finding it difficult to realize soon she would be feeling emptiness instead, just a concave womb, no longer housing another one of her offspring. She wouldn't miss the pressures and the knots, or the aches and the pains. She would miss the flutters and the bouncing and the certainty that everything she felt, felt like Marshall. She knew he wouldn't leave. She knew it. She really did. But, what she didn't know was how a baby, something that had changed her life so drastically three years ago, was going to change it with Marshall all in. How would it be different? Would it be for the better? Or would it ruin the already messy relationship they had going? She was bound to snap at him again, she was certain she'd find something ridiculous to get angry at, but somewhere, deep in her weary mind, she knew he'd find every reason to stay. She knew he wouldn't leave.

Mary caught herself stroking her bare belly in a rhythmic fashion, which everyone who knew her would classify as unusual behavior. She would groan, she would complain, rub her sides, and then normally, sigh in a frustrated manner. But, she could not fool herself. It had been those nights where the walls seemed to close in on her, and loneliness loomed in the depths of her hormonal mind, that she would give into the pygmy in her stomach and play along with her fingertips. She would run her hand across her belly button sometimes to get Norah alert and fluttering, and she'd feel the dancing. And unlike in the sights of her family and friends, she'd enjoy the whimsical two-step of the being she housed, and on occasion would smile to herself. Brandi watched from her seat very amused, but then her eyes darted to one of the many machines her sister was tied to. She paid special attention to it, and at that very moment it was forming a line beginning to peak ferociously. The younger Shannon cringed at the shouts of her sister as they pierced the static air like they had done every minute or so.

"Brandi?" she asked, taking a shallow breath from between quivering lips.

"Yeah?" The woman looked up helplessly, rattled by the strange clumsiness that had filled the hollow corners of the room in the heat of Mary's last contraction, also still taken aback by the Marshal's maternal gesture toward her swollen abdomen, so, of course she had been slow with her response.

"I need you to make a fist," she gulped arching forward to combat the terrible strain in every muscle of her body, "make a fist, and punch me," Mary said with unwavering conviction.

Brandi gasped, setting the bedpan onto the ground beside her, "I will _not _punch you!" She cried, getting to her feet, "That will hurt you!"

"It won't hurt," She reassured, grabbing for her sister's wrist, "Please Brandi?" Mary was not one to beg, but the enormous explosions of discomfort in her lower back were too much to bear, and her mind was hazy. She tried again, "Brandi, please!?" It was a pathetic plea, tasting bitter on her tongue at the admittance of her distress. Her desperation seeped through her body, to her expression, her words and was dangerously saturating her hope.

"Mary," Brandi frowned, "I won't punch you."

"C'mon Squish! This is your chance! You can't tell me you've never wanted to!" She was gnawing on her bottom lip, grabbing at the sheets to clean the sweat from her palms.

Doctor Reese entered, her face stern, and her presence halted the unorthodox argument. "Now, Mary, I have to check your dilation. I'm going to warn you that if you're not to ten or even a smidge closer, we're going to either have to administer the Pitocin or haul you off for a C-Section." The woman was sure to give it to her straight; she had learned the hard way that Mary was a challenging case, especially when you were threatening something she wanted.

She groaned anyway, "Okay! Okay!" She responded as if she were trying to settle an argument. It had been clear there would be none; it must have been just for show that she make a fuss.

Doctor Reese fiddled with the bed sheets after slipping on a pair of gloves, and executed cleanly what she always did after that kind of declaration. She grasped Mary's right knee firmly, and slid her right hand beneath the coverings. Mary tensed at the contact on her flesh, and then attempted to relax.

The woman's eyebrow's rose in surprise, "My goodness!" The doctor pulled the sheets back further. To Mary's dismay, she was taking a closer look . "Your baby is crowning!" It was an exclamation, filled with disbelief, and a multitude of expression. Brandi stood frozen in her place.

Mary's mind was foggy, for she only felt a burning in her bottom half, slicing and ripping her in two. The words of the doctor would not process and she growled at a sensation she could not ignore, the feeling was too strong to battle through, and Mary finally succumbed, "What does that mean?" She moaned, grimacing some more. Her eyes were closed and her mind was moving too quickly for her to comprehend any of her own thoughts.

The next voice to be heard was one she wouldn't have imagined would swim through her eardrums on this night. "Crowning means, the baby's head is beginning to expel from the birth canal."

Her eyes were wide open now, taking in the slender man in front of her, "Marshall?!" She howled with relief, curling her toes and tightening her hold on the railing.

He was a sight soothing to her eyes, restful to her mind, but not relieving to the blaze engulfing her middle and down her legs. Marshall smiled, his tired eyes glistening with triumph, and his lips touched her brow even though it was coated in sweat from her current endeavor. "Shall we have this baby now?" He asked, placing his hand upon her tummy which was warm and dense under his touch.

He was being so sweet and so mindful, but her screams forced their way from her mouth and she let her eyes fall shut tightly, she halted her shout, but continued with a blod0curdling moan , and with all her might, she began to push.

_**I hope you all like it! It's not too many chapters left! Two more chapters I suppose! But, don't worry, I have another fic I have been working on as well!**_

_**Please Review and tell me what you think! I really appreciate your input!**_


	29. Chapter 29

_**Okay, I hope it's all you expected. I tried and retried, but I think this is the best one. **_

_**Please Enjoy! I hope you like everything. **_

It had been a short time, Brandi had left not too long ago, Mary had asked broken questions about Lia and Stan, but Marshall had to regretfully inform her, he knew nothing. They were still in the dark when he had to depart. Mary had also asked him what she had asked of her little sister earlier, but much like Brandi had done, he refused to punch her.

It was working its way into the wee hours of the next day.

The pushes were evenly spaced, about ten seconds long and only extended if Doctor Reese thought Mary could handle it. So, there had been a few of them lasting a whopping, fifteen seconds. But, slowly, they were decreasing in strength, as they did in most births. The baby's head would expel a little more, but inspire back to its original spot. In his mind, Marshall had already declared their child stubborn, for this was taking seemingly longer than it should have been. He had shed his jacket moments ago, when Mary, who was trying extremely hard to vacate their child from her birth canal, choked on the air around her, and accidentally vomited down his sleeve. He had thought nothing of it. He hadn't like that coat very much, anyway.

It was the third or fourth push that the Doctor declared there had been progress, and her declaration had been allied by a scream so gut-wrenching in nature from Mary that Marshall thought _he_ was to about to be sick.

But, the progression had been cut premature when Mary recoiled, not quite from exhaustion, but in pain. A different kind of pain that took hold of her upper half, there was a clicking in her shoulder which caused a sharp pang across her collar and around her chest. Her exhale was ragged as she gave up in the midst of the push. "My goddamn shoulder!" the woman groaned, "I c-can't…" She lay against the pillow, the sweat trickling down her forehead, mixing with tears of frustration.

"Mare," He swiped her blonde hair from her face and tucked it behind her ear. He smiled, softening his voice considerably, "you can do this. I know it."

"I c-can't, n-not, not by myself!" she cried emphatically after a few short moments of catching her uneven breath.

For some reason, Marshall knew she was referring to more than just this next push. He lowered his eyes so that they gazed directly into hers, "Then, I'll help you."

She shook her head, her lip quivering, puddles of green stared back at him defiantly, "I d-don't d-deserve it!" Mary let out a groan, exhaling sharply, and then hiccupping. She cringed, reaching her hand across her I.V. tubes to rub her collarbone.

"What are you talking about?" Marshall asked sadly, his eye on Doctor Reese, who seemed intrigued by the statement as well. Although, the doctor was anxious to keep the delivery moving, for both Mary and the baby's sake, there obviously were things that needed clearing up between the two, in order for Mary to be clear minded enough to complete this birth smoothly.

"You w-were supposed to be h-happy!" she croaked, "I can't p-promise you h-happy!" She trembled as her words struck Marshall so profoundly he could do nothing but lock lips with the panicking woman.

"Mary!" He grinned as he pulled away, taking her face into his hands, and wiping away stray tears with his thumbs, "I am happy!" Marshall declared. "I am the happiest I've ever been. You don't have to promise _happy_, because you've already given me happiness! Norah and you…" He chuckled softly at her enthralled expression from his cheesy outburst. His eyes twinkled in a joyous way, a truthful way. She must not have been in her right mind.

Because, she believed him.

Marshall could tell she was working up words to respond, but her face twisted crazily and she began to shout before she had a chance to voice her reply.

"Okay kids, I think it's time we get this show on the road!" Doctor Reese ordered excitedly.

"My sh-shoulder…" Mary muttered once more, grimacing, not at all arguing, just reminding weakly.

He looked around, to the Doctor and then back to Mary, and he unbuttoned the top three buttons of his shirt. Each person in the room, excluding Mary, watched with curiosity as he set his bottom at the very top of the inclined bed, so now, her head was resting on his stomach, and he grabbed her arms so they would wrap around his knees. Her shoulder aligned comfortably. Marshall kissed the top of her head, "Are you ready?" he wondered in a whimsical tone.

"You ask me like I have a choice!" She grunted on Doctor Reese's count, needing a miniscule nudge from the man behind her to keep the pace.

"One, two three, four…. Mary, that's wonderful, we're so close!"

Marshall reinforced the statement with a firmer grasp on her; he felt the rigid movement of her joints, and furrowed his brow. He could only imagine how this felt. "You're my trooper," he said adamantly, as she rested against his chest now, heaving in oxygen.

"When you're ready, Mary. I want one more, _really _big push!"

It was only seconds, out of mere determination, he could feel adrenaline pulsating through her veins and with a final, deafening howl she made one last surge toward her bottom, and he felt a strange calm wash through her tense body. Then, suddenly, she relaxed in his arms with a triumphant gasp.

At first, he heard no cries, only the snip of scissors, and suctioning.

It felt like two forevers, but it had only been a measly second.

A scream, a gurgle, an announcement,

"It's a boy!"

Then there was an embrace, an awkward one, where Mary shuddered with jubilation and Marshall clung to her from behind. He didn't get a long enough look, not at all, before the nurses turned away, and began to clean him up with a blue blanket that had been at the ready. The pink one was shoved aside, because they had a son.

"You did it, Mare!" He congratulated with a wide smile. "He's beautiful!"

It was unlike when Norah was born, because they didn't take him away. They actually wrapped him up, and laid him upon her. There was a splotch of red here and there, of what they had missed in their quick scrubbing. "Six pounds even," the nurse stated, and then with one last look, walked away.

Mary ran her finger across his cheek, her eyes wide in disbelief. Under her touch, the little boy scrunched his nose. They both chuckled, silently taking him in. There was fine hair atop his tiny head, dark, soft and familiar to Mary. His eyes were shut; his cheeks were round, and they reminded Mary of Norah. Chubby, pink cheeks from the start, thin lipped and a squirming little kid, helpless and busily fidgeting in her arms.

"We don't have names," She said to him like she had when he was on the phone the day before.

"A name?" He questioned, almost as if surprised. "That's right, a name…" His mesmerized gaze was set upon the scene of his Mary and his son held tightly in her arms. A name, Marshall thought.

A name, Mary thought.

"_So, Partner, do have any ideas for names?_"

Jinx gasped, "_James you don't surely think we could let Mary name her?_" She adjusted the pink bundle in her arms, as it yelled over the sounds of the outside.

The blonde little girl pouted, not able to understand why her parents were so pleased about this thing, "_How about Bridget?_" It was a name Mary had once heard on a talk show, walking by a television in a pawn shop her father took her to often.

James had cringed, "_Your mother and I were thinking, 'Brandi'._"

The child's brow rose, "_I guess that's okay._" She crossed her arms, frowning and then shrugging. "_I still like Bridget._"

Mary shook her head as Doctor Reese unwrapped a few pieces of gauze and placed them, admiring the scene; she tossed a clean, white sheet over the woman's lap and wrote a few things down, her attention shifted elsewhere, politely away from their personal moment.

"How about Jeremiah?" But, even as it fell from his mouth, he knew their squinty eyed, gurgling baby boy didn't fit it.

Mary scoffed, "Over my dead body."

"Caleb?"

"No."

"Josh?"

"No," she sighed, "we probably should have talked about this months ago." Mary pulled the boy closer, and examined his mushed traits, new and refreshing, "Nate." Mary whispered this adamantly. "Nathaniel Marshall Mann."

He smiled, letting his heart thud proudly in his chest. "Aside from the middle name, I approve."

"No. I'm not changing the middle name," Mary looked up to him, blazing green eyes uncompromising, and undeniably persuasive.

"Nate Marshall Mann," He scratched his head, "No hyphenation? I thought we discussed that it would be 'Shannon-Mann'?"

They had, very briefly, Marshall had agreed, knowing Mary would want that in her control and that was fine with him. _He_ knew he wasn't going anywhere, and if their kid had to have two last names for her to feel comfortable, then he would let it be.

"He can be Nate Mann. We don't want to overwhelm the kid with a million names." She hid the kind gesture with her sarcasm.

He felt warm inside, and he hopped from his spot behind her, letting her sprawl across the bed and have it to herself. He felt his phone vibrate in his pocket and had half a mind to ignore it, but had to take a glance when he remembered how he had left Stan.

It was a text message, and it made him grin, "Stan the man," he chuckled.

Mary looked up, "What?"

"Take a look at this," Marshall shoved the picture in her view. A tiny, little girl, much smaller than their Nate, lay in Stan's arms. He had never been happier, Mary observed. "Looks like our boy shares a birthday with this tiny darling," He affirmed.

"Does _she _have a name?" Mary wondered brashly, as Marshall pulled the phone to himself.

"Rita Stacy McQueen, five pound twelve ounces," He fiddled with the contraption and pointed it to Mary and the little guy, focusing the phone's camera, "Smile for me."

He was entirely sure she was going to throw a tantrum, claim she looked awful, but she didn't. A tired smirk came upon her lips, and Marshall snapped the shot with an approving expression. His fingertips glided across the touch screen,

_Congratulations, Deputy Director. Take a look at our new addition. Nathaniel Marshall Mann, born at 2:00 A.M, six pounds even. As you can see, Mom and baby are both gorgeous._

Mary extended her arms, "Alright doofus, let's see your Daddy skills."

Marshall could barely contain the eagerness as he tossed his phone onto the chair just feet away and took the boy into the crook of his arm. He looked up after what felt like only a few, short moments, but before he had a chance to gush, he noticed the fluttering of her eyelids. He smacked his lips against her forehead, "I wasn't lying, this is the happiest I've ever been. No regrets."

She mumbled sleepily, "No regrets." And her eyes shut, and she fell into a much needed slumber.

_**Please Review and tell me what you think! I hope you enjoyed! **_

_**Sadly, only one more chapter. I want to thank everyone for reading, reviewing and alerting. I am upset to see this end. But, I am working on one that will surely knock your socks off. **_


	30. Chapter 30

_**Okay, everyone. This is officially the end! Thank you all so much for reading! This fic has been a pleasure to write, it's been wonderful to see the reviews, I hope you continue to enjoy my different work!**_

The first few steps were the hardest, Mary thought to herself as she worked her socked feet into the tile floor. Her legs were like trunks, and the amount of force with which she had to use to move them was a ton. Her hair lay in a messy bun upon her neck, her sweat pants were low on her gut, her shirt was a Marshal issued training tee, which Marshall had grabbed from the office for this day. He had taken it from the gym locker room, remembering that Mary liked to sleep in them, and thought that this would be an appropriate time to feel cozy, and perhaps a little superior. He had left for only a moment, having gone down to the nurse's desk to deliver unto them the discharge papers, sign a few other things, and flag down the least busy personnel to escort them to the parking lot. The baby lay in his hospital grade bassinet, wiggling in the unfamiliar, vast space around him.

She had taken a short lap, slowly and painfully down the hallway and back, only yesterday. Nate had his first feeding probably not even an hour after his entrance into this world, suckling naturally even though, premature. Marshall, although half responsible for the creation of the little tyke, had trouble being an observer to this normalcy, for his cheeks flushed crimson just seconds after Mary, who had never done such a thing so willingly, exposed her breast. _Get over yourself, doofus, _she spat, somewhat embarrassed from _his_ embarrassment. Now, the child had been fed multiple times, and at a snail's pace, the man was becoming more accustomed to the uncharacteristic ease Mary had, swiping their son's cheek to get him to latch effortlessly, in order to nourish him. Though, he was a believer that such a thing was beautiful, how unexpected it had been that his stone cold, former partner, and best inspector was so easily taken by the tiny bundle.

Mary scooted her foot forward, tile after tile, to begin the advancement across the room, gnawing her lip at the crazy ache in her tummy and soreness in her bottom half she set her sights on the little boy, using him for determination. Nate let out a fussy whine, to which Mary replied, "You're telling _me_, kid."

He reminded her much of Norah, and it felt like she had thought this one million times already. But, the moment he had revealed those big, brown orbs of his, she was convinced. It had been a trait of her daughter's which she had assumed the little girl had absconded with from Mark's DNA, but now, she was sure, it must have been her that contributed that immaculate color that gleamed so perfectly in the light.

Although, his eyes were mesmerizing, his hair was even more so. It was Marshall's deep chocolate brown, and there was a lot of it. More than she could have imagined. It ran so perfectly in thins locks on his scalp, wonderful from afar, but even better up close.

It had been both Marshall and Mary's decision that Norah wait until her brother was taken home for her to meet him. They were both in agreement that she had seen enough of these white walls, and they would only be reminding her of what the inside of a hospital looked like only if absolutely necessary. Taking him home was easier dreamt about than actually doing. They had not purchased a single thing, not a crib, not one sort of garment.

Jinx had come to the rescue. In the hours before Nate was born, that time which Mary had thought she was hiding in the cafeteria, she had been off, searching through Norah's old things, and had found the little girl's old car seat. The mother had torn the pink, floral fabric from the seams of the contraption, and covered it in a neutral green, just for the time being, until they had their bearings and could purchase the one they wanted for the new baby. The woman, sporting dark circles underneath her eyes, had delivered the surprise just this morning, while Mary was just waking up. Having been on some very mild painkillers, Mary recalled her mother's arms around her, and the familiar smell of Jinx's shampoo filling her nostrils. But, the woman had disappeared once more, shortly after, to where, Mary didn't know.

By this time, she was gripping the edge of the plastic crib with her left hand, running the backs of her long fingers across the distended, clothed belly of her son, with a noticeable smirk on her lips. The feel of the soft fabric on her knuckles tickled her skin in the most pleasant way. She could feel the rhythmic, up and down motion of his breathing, enjoying his movements for one of the first times while he was no longer nestled in her womb. The sadness had dissipated; the joy had taken its place, rolling in like sunshine to her senses. Now, in her grasp, she recognized the minuscule shape of his tiny feet, the lovely, smooth texture of his ankles. Again, she realized the enjoyment she got out of her child, her very own, which she was able to love freely. Another being which she had created, another life which she knew was a contribution to this world. Another person, whom she never thought she'd have the privilege to make space for in her heart.

A gentle timbre danced through the quiet, "Your chariot awaits." His grin, one Mary would usually scoff in response to was, an appropriate addition to the coos from the boy beside her. A wheel chair appeared behind him, a nurse, maintaining the light mood with her own smile nodded in appreciation of the introduction.

Marshall held out a hand, which Mary nearly ignored. But, she had gotten cocky, and the quick movement while her body was still stiff made her grab for his wrist to steady herself. He chuckled, "Steady now, killer. Try to appease me for at least a few hours, and pretend you are going to listen to doctor's orders."

She snorted, "You're lucky I didn't leave by now. What took so long with that paperwork, huh? I thought that was your main gig at the Sunshine Building? Shouldn't you be able to scribble your scrawl on anything without taking a century?"

He took to the joke with grace, as the job had gotten him more time in his office. He was sure that would be an advantage in the coming months. Of course there were fewer cases for the Chief, but minimal fieldwork meant he could be home more often to accomplish his duties, this also meant he could be thoroughly involved without taking paternity leave for too long. Marshall was looking forward to all of this, and that's why she knew he wouldn't take offense to her weathered quip, "I suppose you're correct in that statement. Now, would you kindly take a seat for this nice lady so I can settle Nate into that lovely crook of your arm?"

"Christ, don't make me gag," Mary responded with a roll of her eyes. "Just because I gave birth to a rugrat that half resembles you doesn't mean you get to mush out on me."

"As you wish," he said, taking their son and placing them in her waiting arms. She adjusted his blankets, observing the dark eyelashes flutter as he squinted up at her.

Marshall grabbed the diaper bag and slung it over his shoulder. In light of their unpreparedness, the hospital had given them a few diapers, a bottle or two of formula, a newborn jumper, a blanket, some booties, and a pacifier. Mary claimed Nate didn't like the binky, but he knew it was only because she enjoyed him slurping on her finger instead. He would make sure she didn't let it become a habit for Nate, but for the time being he would let Mary have her way. When he glanced down, Mary had been glancing up, but quickly she had averted her eyes, as if a display of intimate eye contact would have been too much for her, right now. With her overnight bag in his one hand, and the car seat in the other, he made a meager gesture to the Nurse, who began pulling the chair from the room. Their pace was steady, the air against Mary's face felt soothing, and as the front, automatic doors of Mesa Regional parted, she welcomed the open space, and moving air happily.

He took care of everything, buckling Nate into the seemingly new car seat and then, into the back. She watched carefully, as Marshall had only ever secured Norah's booster chair into the car. The smaller contraption was much more of a challenge to successfully add to the van. But, as if he had done it many times before, he turned to open the passenger's side door for Mary in only a short moment, again lending his hand. When Mary was closed into the car, the nurse wished them 'good luck' and then made her way in to finish her shift, taking a deep breath of the fresh air to fill her lungs before entering the expanses of the hospital again.

It was when the car began to move, the apprehension finally started to widdle away at her sureness. "So," Mary let out a soft sigh, "You ready for this?"

"I'm afraid to answer that," he responded with a quick look to her.

Her heart jumped at the idea of Marshall having a second thought, but she knew better.

"Hey," Marshall said his face serious.

"_Hey, _what?" she wondered in a bitter tone, her gaze glued to her lap, her hands awkwardly plied to each other. "It's scary to think even _you _don't think we can do this."

"Mary," he began. "I was going to say, I _am _ready. I have wanted this, I have waited. I know you're parenting skills are sharp, Norah is a fine result, a gorgeous result," he added with a smile. "I didn't want you to end up this way, so tense, and as worried as you have become right now. I was afraid to answer, because I knew if I said such a thing, you'd accuse me again of, how did you phrase it?" he wondered for a split second. "Ah," he exclaimed hushed, "going _mushy _on you."

She was still wavering in her certainty, even though she knew very well he was telling her the truth.

"Really Mare," Marshall assured, "I am ready. There's no other person I'd rather do this with more. It's a pleasure to have you as my partner again, Inspector." He smiled brightly, obviously excited about such a thought.

"Alright go easy on the dorky metaphors."

"See, it's like old times, already," he replied jollily. "Let's not forget this moment," he said half-jokingly.

The ride seemed long, but in actuality had only been fifteen minutes. It seemed Mary's home was close to everything, a plus of living in the suburbs. He heard her sharp, all but amused sigh when she caught sight of the many cars in her driveway. But, as Marshall had requested, they left the space closest to the door for the mini-van.

As Marshall worked stealthily to remove their son from the back seat, Mary's chest heaved in the surrounding air more rapidly. Norah was about to meet this adorable little bugger. If it were anything like when Jinx and James had brought home Brandi, she had cause for concern.

"_Why won't she stop crying?!_" The blonde child stomped her foot, but the sound could not be heard over the shrill, awful shouts of the baby in her father's arms.

"_Baby's cry a lot, partner!_ _I told you that!_" the man shouted over the thrashing tot in his arms.

"_Why doesn't Jinx make it stop?_" she asked, her hands pressed against her ears, hoping to drown out the unpleasant noise, her eyes shut tightly as if the sight was also too much for her.

"_Now, partner, she's not an 'it', she's your sister. Take special care you never say that around your mother!_" he scolded, running a shaky hand through his dark hair.

"_I think this was a bad idea!_"

"_What was a bad idea?_" he questioned as the infant began to calm down.

"_Taking her home,_" she pouted, and then ran off to hide somewhere the quiet held true.

"Jeez Marshall, what's Norah going to do?" she found herself asking in panic.

He observed her scanning eyes, the way they searched for an answer in her brain, and then he gripped her shoulder reassuringly. "There's one way to find out, and as I recall you telling me, she was super excited to be a big sister when you explained everything to her two nights ago. Why don't we go make those introductions? I'll take this round of the explanation game if you would like," he replied.

She nodded approvingly, for her words were few in this moment.

It amazed her how grounded he was. His feet were set solidly on the pavement, Nate hanging safely in his carrier from his left hand. Marshall wrapped one arm around Mary, a gesture he wouldn't usually dare execute, but today, he was feeling exceptionally brave and Mary had too much respect for him to shake away. She wouldn't have been able to anyway. He may have been the only reason she wasn't nosing the driveway or tasting the sod.

"I love how the only time my family is all in one place is when someone's dead or has been born. Either way, I always look like crap," Mary mumbled to the man as they inched their way to the door. She halted her feet before Marshall could turn the handle, and took a long look at him, she smiled just barely, and then scooted from his grasp and grabbed his hand, and reached down with her free paw to stroke Nate's chin, "Now there, kid," she soothed when he let out a fussy whine, "it won't seem like home at first, but I'm sure your dad will help us figure it all out."

He shrugged, "I'll do my absolute best."

"I know you will," Mary replied seriously. "Open the door before I chicken out."

So he did, swinging it open and leading her through the doorway. Inside, there they all sat, Norah hopping excitedly in her shoes. "Did you bwing him home?!" she wondered before the carrier came into view, and then, those wide, brown orbs Mary admired grew wide, and sparkled with the question splendidly.

Jinx interjected, "We'll be out of your hair in just a second, we just wanted you to know, there's a few frozen dinner's in the refrigerator, Peter set up something temporary in your bedroom for Nate, Norah is all fed, and has been patiently waiting to meet her little brother!" She stopped flourishing her arms, and gesticulating as she always did, and grabbed Brandi to be close to her.

Brandi smiled, "I will say, she has not been _entirely _patient, Mare."

The little girl wore a pout, but quickly shook off the potential tantrum or repeat herself, "Did you bwing him home!? Do I gets to meet him?"

"Yes Bug," Mary smiled, hand unlatching from Marshall's, "let me have the baby, doofus."  
She stretched her arms toward the man beside her and took the child into her arms after fiddling with the safety straps for a few seconds.

She plodded to the couch, while everyone watched- the silence was overwhelming. Riley, Mary noticed, was snoozing on the arm chair. Not at all was the other tot in this room disturbed by the slight commotion of the entrance of a newborn into the room.

She lowered herself painstakingly beside her daughter, "Bug, you must remember with babies you are to be very gentle." Norah was already gasping though, as for the first time, Nate's scrunched face could be seen with those perfect little eyes of hers. "This is Nathaniel. But, you can call him 'Nate' for short."

"Nate?" the child asked.

"Yes. Nate," Mary replied hesitantly, trying to pinpoint any emotion in her daughter's face, hoping this wouldn't be like it had been the night Brandi had been so named.

"I wike that name!" she bounced happily, her smile spreading across the entirety of her visage.

XXX

It was well into the late evening when the last Shannon woman straggled out, and that was Jinx.

"Oh, honey, he's just precious!" the dark haired woman whispered, "why don't you put him in his bassinet?" she wondered as they made their way down the hallway.

"Bassinet?" Mary parroted in confusion. "We don't have a—

She clicked on the bedroom light, revealing the room, no longer in disarray, but organized neatly. Riley's old neutral changing table was next to Mary's dresser, Norah's old ducky portable crib in the corner. Their bed was made, and the room smelled clean, surely able to pass the white glove test. This must have been what she meant by, _Peter set up something temporary in your bedroom for Nate._

"Peter took the liberty of rearranging a few things, just for the time being," Jinx smiled.

In the same time Jinx was busy with her needle and thread, Peter, having locked the doors, and hidden the telephone from both Riley and Norah, opened the toy box in the living room and let them go to town. While they were content with their dolls, legos and blocks, he had begun the shifting of furniture in Mary's bedroom. He had been in there a few times after Norah had been born, just to see what the positive result had been of that first wedding day. He vaguely remembered the way it had been arranged, and did his best to place another one of Norah's old contraptions in the corner, where Nate could slumber and then, dragged in Riley's old, nearly matching compliment.

"He did?" Mary said disbelievingly, entering into the room aimlessly.

Norah was asleep, and Mary couldn't help but feel tired herself. Marshall was currently making her toast. Jinx crossed the room to her daughter, "Oh, honey," she began with her hands on the tall blonde's shoulders "he is absolutely gorgeous."

"I know…" Mary said, "Us Shannon women sure can cook 'em up, can't we?" she admired her son in a glance, and then looked to her mother.

"I'm proud of you, Mary," Jinx chirped. "It's nice to finally see you happy." The lady, dressed in a bright pink, smoothed the blonde hair on Mary's head, "goodbye sweetie, I'll see you in the morning!" Mary was only somewhat relieved she turned to leave, "Love you!"

From her bedroom, Mary could hear the toaster pop, Jinx spout a farewell to Marshall and the man shuffle around in a cabinet.

When he appeared he glanced around, unsurprised and placed the plate on the edge of the bed. Mary was nursing Nate. "Your sustenance, my lady," he said playfully, sitting next to the woman, wanting her to understand how 'comfortable' he was with this occurrence by now.

"Thanks," she replied quietly, grimacing as she adjusted the boy in her arms.

"I think Norah and Nate really hit it off," he said, "You had to know she'd ask if she could hold him."

"You can't blame me for being weary. Have you ever seen her with Riley's dolls? That's like baby massacre," Mary joked, fully aware Norah understood better than that. But, even as Marshall watched carefully and Mary had both of her hands on Nate, it was still one of the most nerve racking moments of her life, but so very sweet at the same time. Mary had always claimed she would never be one of those women. If only she had known that Marshall could make her so easily stray from her own, adamant claims.

"Of course you're entitled to your nervousness. He's only two days old, it was impressive that you let her near him," he teased.

"So _you_ had no reservations about letting a three year manhandle a baby?!" Mary asked defensively.

"I didn't say that. We were both naturally skeptical. Why do you think I was hovering as much as you were? Norah is amazing, Mary, and we both know she means nothing but well," He sat up, handing Mary the burp cloth that had been shoved into his pocket from earlier. "I have to admit, she's already wonderful with him."

"She _is_, isn't she?" Mary agreed propping the boy on her shoulder, towel at the ready, she began to thump easily between his shoulders.

Marshall watched her, a sort of hazy enjoyment in his face. Her ankles were crossed over each other, her stomach protruding out just slightly less than it had the day before, and even though, she would warrant otherwise, the glow was still there. That same glow, she denied she had the months prior to their little boy's debut.

It was one moment of weakness, in the knees, in the mind, and in the heart. Giving into what she had wanted for nearly a decade, to love the man she had only ever been able to love. Marshall was sprawled across the bed, his head resting on the pillow, Mary had her back against the bed post, and Nate gurgled contently. If Mary knew then, that moment which seemed like forever ago when Marshall had shown up at her doorstep it would be the start of all of this, she would be expected to insist that she wouldn't have done it.

But, really all of this couldn't have been a mistake, not Nate, not Marshall. She could never lie about that.

She spotted the spit up dribbling down the child's chin, and swiped it away. Marshall was pushing away a chuckle, grabbing for the cloth, "Some of this spit up," he smirked, "is in your hair." He pulled through the strands of her blonde hair, cleaning them with his fingertips. Then, he placed a kiss upon the top of her temple.

What a mess this was.  
A beautiful mess.

As she watched him wipe his fingers on his pants, she couldn't help but roll her eyes.

Out of all of these years, it had been one moment of weakness. Marshall was her weakness.

If only she had given into it years ago.

"_Ready or not, you have to accept one universal truth: life is messy. Always and for all of us. But a wise man once said, maybe messy is what you need, and I think he might be right."- Mary Shannon_

_**You are all great! I hope I didn't displease you at all!**_

_**Please review and tell me what you think! **_

_**The fic in the works is called, "A Secret Hidden In Plain Sight," keep your eyes out for it!**_


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